The Rise of a King
by dilloncoll
Summary: The year is 1689.Tensions boil between the British and the Vikings. It soon explodes into a conflict like no other. After Stoick is mentally scarred after a major loss, he hands the role of leadership to Hiccup. How will he able to manage the loose collection of tribes during a war? How will he shape history? Will he prove himself capable and beat the worlds largest military force?
1. The Rise of Berk

****Chapter 1: To the skies, see Berk rise!"****

 _ _All embrace me!__

 _ _Its my time to rule at last!__

 _ _15 years have I been waiting to sit upon my throne!__

Hiccup put his pencil down not knowing what write next. At first he had planned to write a normal journal entry, then after starting at the empty page for a few minutes, decided to write a song. ' _ _The story of me taking over Berk as it's first king'__ thought Hiccup.

It has been a month since waking up from a coma after fighting the red death. His wounds still fresh on his skin, not to mention the loss of his leg. He was alone at the moment, his father reluctantly had left two weeks ago on a diplomatic mission to a nearby tribe. This gave Hiccup plenty of time to think without his dad barging in on him every 12 seconds to see if he was alive.

Hiccup looked at the words he had written, the charcoal still fresh on the page. Hiccup thought _'If I'm going to be a chief, I won't swear an oath to anybody.'_ He picked his pencil back up and began to write.

 _ _No alliagence!__

 _ _I will swear no oath!__

Hiccup was about to write the next line when a thunderous knocking came from his door. Sighing he put his pencil and book down and walked to the door. Toothless lazily got up after the knocking started, he wasn't happy with whoever was at the door. Cautiously Hiccup opened the door only to reveal an extremely mad Astrid Hofferson. She wasted no time walking into the house. Toothless averted his eyes as the young Viking teen slammed her axe onto the floor. Hiccup winced when he heard the metal hit the wood. Slowly he closed the door and walked over to her.

"It's my father!" she said, anger dripping out her mouth

"What's going on now?"

"He wants me to get married to some merchant from Prussia."

Hiccup didn't say anything, he just looked down at the table. Secretly he loved Astrid but he didn't know how she felt about him. Yeah she had kissed him twice but he didn't know what to make of them. He knew Astrid wanted him to say something so he said the first thing that came to his head.

"Prussia is quite the journey from here."

"No shit Hiccup!"

Hiccup's eyes reverted back down to the table, he didn't dare look at her in the eyes. Astrid sighed muttering an apology.

"I didn't mean to snap. It's just, my father thinks he is doing what's best for me but it's not."

"Well, what do you want?"

"I don't know. A father that is so protective. A mother that actually cares about what's going on in her daughter's life."

"It's sounds like you want someone who loves you for being you. Someone that cares about what you are doing. Someone that you could put your trust in."

"I guess."

A silence fell between the two. The only noise in the house was the loud snoring of the Night Fury.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything, bringing peace with the dragons and Vikings, saving me, and-" Astrid didn't know what to say. For the past few years she had shut everything out of her life to become a better warrior. She shut out poor Hiccup Haddock was desperate need of a friend. He was bullied by the rest of the teens, excluding Fishlegs, and the adults were not much better. He earned himself the nickname of useless which made Astrid feel horrible. Then one night it changed. She followed Hiccup to the cove and discovered Toothless. She was going to rat him out to his father but a quick romantic flight changed her mind real fast. _'Was romantic the best word to use?'_ Astrid pondered for a moment, she didn't know how she felt about Hiccup. Yeah she had kissed him, but it was a spur of the moment decision. Eventually she would make up her mind but Hiccup interrupted her with a cough.

"Sorry, and for the wonderful flight the night before your trail."

Hiccup's face turned beat red, recounting the events of that night. Astrid laughed as Hiccup stumbled over what she thought was words. The conversation was ruined as the massive man of a chief busted through the door.

The two teens were startled as Stoick made his way over to the the two of them. "Lass, what brings you here" Stoick boomed.

"Nothing chief, just talking with Hiccup"

"I have some news you two so listen up. Berk has unfortunately caught in a unwanted war." Hiccup and Astrid we're terrified at the procoect of war against other Vikings. "It's not against other Vikings for once. A few Viking ships were sailing around when a British ship attacked them. They did there best to escape but only one ship came back. This is an act of war and I will not tolerate the actions of the British any longer."

For years the Vikings and the British were at each other's throats. It all started with the first Viking invasion back in the days when sword and shield were the only weapons. The back and forth fighting over the island had ended when William The Conqueror took over the island back in 1066. The age of the Viking was over and since then the two kingdoms lived in a unstable truce. For the next 500 years war would be close to breaking out but nothing ever came of it but now the British were at it again.

"Dad, I might not be qualified to be telling you this but doesn't fighting England sound a bit-"

"Insane" Astrid piped in.

"I know son but we must protect Berk, and we must do it in numbers. You teens will not be coming but I trust you to lead the village while I'm gone."

"Dad, it has been 500 years since the Vikings and British have fought. Don't you think you should, I don't know, find out what weapons they are using?"

"I can't son, the time to strike is now. We can't let the British threat the Vikings any longer. A chief protects his own. The Vikings of the archipelago are coming here to gather a war party."

With that Stoick left the house leaving Astrid and Hiccup alone in silence.

"He is gonna get himself killed Hiccup."

"I know but I can't stop him. When Stoick the Vast sets his eye on something, there is no stopping him.

 ** **Sorry for not uploading a new chapter/Story in a while I got a bit bored with writing. For all the when riders become wrestler fans a new chapter will be in the works soon so hold tight. A little background on this story. This story is inspired by the events of the kingdom of Sweden back in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The rise and fall of a 15 year old king who nearly brought his country to becoming a superpower. As for the many songs that'll pop up throughout the story are from a band know as Sabaton. The main songs that this story is focused on is from their album Carolus Rex. Particularly the latter half of the album. Other songs will be used as a plot device so I'm open for suggestions. So please enjoy the story on the rise of King Hiccup the first, First king of Berk. -Dilloncoll****


	2. Getting ready for war

London, _England_

Parliment had been arguing all day on the matter of the Barbaric Archipelago. The House of Lords were calling for war to be declared on the many Viking tribes.

"They are a threat to our trade in the region" yelled someone.

"They haven't attacked one of our ships in almost 250 years" replied another.

John Morrison, a wealthy business owner and a share holder of the Honorable East India Trade Company was posting to each argument carefully. Just then a young boy handed him a letter. John took the letter off the boy and began reading.

 _Dear Mr. Morrison,_

 _The brittania sailed through the waters of the Archipelago and noticed many things. First the waters were empty, no sign of any Viking trade ship for miles. As they continued to sail they noticed Viking Warships headed to a nearby island. From what the captain said it looked like they were reading for war. Soon after seeing the vast amount of ships in the port, the crew reported incoming arrows from nearby ships. The ship retreated with only light damage, however one crewman was struck with an arrow and died. This is an act of war, we must protect our trade company._

 _Sencearly, William Skye._

John put down the piece of parchment in his hands. The Vikings attacked one of his ships and killed one of his men. He stood up and gave a resounding shout and the parliament's eyes were on him.

"I have just received word from one of my employees. He had gone to check on a trading vessel en route to Prussia. While sailing in The Barbaric Archipelago the crew of the _Brittania_ noticed warships heading towards an island. They saw warships by the hundreds sitting at a dock waiting for something. As they tried to leave they were shot at by a warship."

Gasps were heared around the room. The Vikings attacked one of their trade vessels.

"Surly they thought your ship was attacking the island and just sent some warning shots. No one needed to be killed" responded James York, the son of the duke of York, and an avid peacemaker.

John looked at the boy, he knew he was trying to prevent a fight but it was to late for that. "They killed one of my men."

That did it, cries for war were heard more the ever.

"All those in favor of declaring war on the Vikings say aye, those who suppose say ne."

The vote was cast 199 for war 1 for peace. "Take this to the king." Arnold, the speaker of the house gave the boy who delievered the letter for John a piece of paper for the king.

 _The Royal Palace, London England_

King William the 3rd looked outside his window, watching the people of London work hard. He knew his time was coming, his wife passed away 4 years ago and he knew he wouldn't last long. Just then the door opened and out came his daughter, princess Anne.

"Father, a letter for you from the parliament."

"Put it on my desk" he responded. She placed the letter on his desk and left, leaving her father in silence. William sighed and walked over to where she left the letter. He picked it up and began to read.

 _Dear King William,_

 _I regret to inform you my lord but the House of Lords and the Parliment have agreed to declare war on the Viking tribes. We've begun to send out the call to war to our people and our allies. It's up to you to pick a general to lead the army to victory. -Arnold._

William looked east, the direction of the islands. "If they want war so be it" he said to himself and left the room to go see his chamber of war.

 _A few hours later..._

"let them invade us, force them to fight in unknown ground, we will crush them" suggested General Montgomery.

"And what? Let them pillage Scottish villages and towns" replied General Alfred.

"General Montgomery is right, we need to let them invade us that way we can crush them on our own soil" replied William.

"General Montgomery will lead the defense. You'll have 80,000 at your disposal, crush them and we win the war."

"Understood my lord."

"Good now get going"

 _Berk War Room, same time..._

"We will invade through Scotland, sack Glasgow, and continue south till we reach York. From there we sack York and head north to go back home." Stoick looked around the hall. There were murmurs of agreement heard in the hall, the Vikings had their plan.

"Good, get your ships we leave within the next two hours"

The tribe leaders dispursed and headed to their men to discuss everything that had happen. Stoick went back home to say goodbye to his son. When he reached his home he heard laughter from inside. He wondered what those two teens were up to. He opened the door and was created with the heart warming sight of the two young Vikings playing with the overgrown lizard. He gave a thunderous laugh at the sight. But the short lived happiness faded.

"I'm leaving son, take good care of yourself, I promise I'll be back soon."

Hiccup looked at his father. Stoick looked like he was about to cry, there was something about this whole invasion that made the ordeal much more serious. Astrid squeezed Hiccups arm to comfort him.

"Astrid your parents are coming with the invasion, thought I'd let you know before I left."

"Thanks chief"

"Lass just call me Stoick, no need for formality in private."

"Ok, thanks for letting me stay here Stoick"

"it's not a problem at all lass"

With that Stoick left his house and headed to the dock. The invasion was about to begin.

 _Meanwhile, on the coast of Scotland..._

The sounds of pickaxes filled the air as fortifications were being built to defend against the Vikings. Men gasping for breath as they pushed cannons into position. Montgomery planned it perfectly, between the coastline and his defenses was a near mile of open field. Unknowingly to Berk the cannons would be in rage before they could even reach the first line of defence.

 **What will happens to Stoicks army, and how will Hiccup rise to throne with his father still in charge? Glad people are liking the story. Next song to be introduced is _Gott Mitt Uns._ Special shoutout to the first person to guess what that translates into correctly.**


	3. The First Battle

_Berk_

It has been two weeks since the army left for England. Hiccup was at his desk with Astrid nearby petting Toothless. He was thinking of a song to depict the upcoming battle.

"Ok what about this:"

 _Spent a night in formation,_

 _to the battle we are marching in the dawn._

 _Meanwhile_

The Vikings were a few minutes off the coast. Stoick looked at the beach in front of him. "Hiccup, this land will belong to you, I'll make sure of it" he said to himself.

The British were ready for them. 50 cannons lined the beach supported by 40,000 infantry troops and another 20,000 were on horseback. General Montgomery looked at his army. They were ready, no doubt in his mind. Guarding the cannons were the Scotish highlanders and the 7th London. The best of the best we're here to fight the invaders.

"Sir, the cannons are in range, your orders sir?"

Montgomery looked at the colonel, then looked back at the incoming ships.

"Fire when the ships hit the beach, they will be closer and an easier target."

"yes sir."

The colonel walked away back to his guns.

 _We are ready to die for a king,_

 _On the fields of Breitenfeld_

The ships landed, the battle has begun

"FIRE!"

the 50 cannons roared to life, firing ten pound iron balls straight to the Vikings. Stoick had just gotten off his ship when the cannons started to fire. To him the cannon balls whistling in the air sounded like his sons dragon. Explosions soon followed as cannon balls hit the ground and the ships. He heard men screaming in pain. He looked to his right only to see some berserkers bleeding to death. Some were missing arms others leg and one was missing their head.

Montgomery was pleased with the result of the first volley of cannons.

 _Fire at will_

the Vikings continued you to charge. However only 2,000 made it ashore, there was still 18,000 in the sea.

 _Aim for the Cannons_

Stoick stayed back at the ships helping the wounded get to cover, Oswald the agreeable led the first wave.

 _Counter attack_

Montgomery gave the order for the cannons to fire at will. Already 500 Vikings fell to the might of the British. They were in rifle range. The 40,000 men stood up and aimed their guns.

 _Thunder of guns_

They British opened fire, smoke now blocked them from sight. Stoick looked up only to some 300 Vikings still standing. Stoick waited for more men to land.

It took two hours but the rest of the army finally landed 18,000 Vikings were ready.

 _Gott mit uns_

 _as we all stand united_

 _all together_

 _Gott mit uns_

Hiccup put down his pencil to go on a nice night flight with Astrid.

Stoick gave the order to attack. 18,000 men and women charged. Cannon balls struck the ground killing left and right. They slowed down as they had to cross over the dead and wounded. The next volley of rifles came. Alfred Hofferson was struck in shoulder. Stoick hadn't noticed yet.

The Vikings were getting closer. "Fire at will!"

Vikings were falling by the dozen. Angela Hofferson was struck by a cannon ball, Stoick still didn't notice.

the Vikings were only a few meters away. "Fix bayonets!" The soldiers took out their bayonets and put them on their rifle. They were ready for hand to hand combat.

By now only 10,000 Vikings made it to the defenses. The brutal hand to hand combat began. Vikings and British alike were getting stabbed by steel. The 29th Yorkshire lined up, 500 men were ready to fire. The defenders began to break and the Vikings were ready to continue on.

"Ready, Aim, Fire!"

The 29th let loose their guns power. 400 Vikings fell to the ground, struck by their lead. The charged into the fray doing their best to hold back the Vikings.

The British lost control of their forward battery but the second line was ready to fire. 1,000 Vikings led by the headbanger tribes chief flanked around the British defenses and were headed straight towards the second line of defense.

Colonel Greene brought two regiments with him to the flank to stop the Vikings. They were barely in position by the time the Vikings were just a few meters away from them.

"Fire!"

The two regiments opened up on the Vikings. Only 200 still stood, 1/5 on the original wave.

By now only 5,000 Vikings remained. Stoick knew the battle was lost, he could only look at what remained of the once great army.

"Retreat!"

The Vikings began to run. The British wasted no time in reclaiming their defenses. Cannons began to fire again as the Vikings crossed back over the open field.

King William arrived on the field of battle. As he rode towards the cannons he saw the medics carry the wounded back to camp. He could feel sorry for their families. He saw General Montgomery standing by a cannon and rode up him.

"General, did you crush them?"

"We did my lord. The Vikings are in full retreat!"

He looked out into the field to see the Vikings running back to their ships.

"How much damage did they do?"

"Not much, at most I expect around 2,000 are wounded or dead. They still fight with sword and shield my lord. If we invade them we will win no matter how we attack."

"let the men celebrate their victory first. Then we invade them.

"Yes my lord."

Stoick and his men began to pushback their boats. Cannon balls still stuck them, some of the younger warriors were trembling in fear. They final got 30 boats in the water, enough for the remaining 3,000 to sail home.

Stoick looked around his boat of berkians. They faired better then some of the other tribes. Some tribes lost everything, like the headbangers who only 1 ship of their original 10. Then it hit him, the Hoffersons weren't on the boat. Berk lost the last of the hoffersons, the only one left was Astrid.

Night began to fall in the ships, the moral was broken. On their way over they had been joking around, sharing stories, but now it was quiet.

Stoick left Berk with 500 berkians, he had 200 remaining. Then reality came crashing down on Stoick, he sent 20,000 young men and women to their death. When the survivors looked at their chief they saw the mountain of a man silently crying in the corner.

Of the 80,000 combatants 16,589 Vikings lie wounded, dead, or captured. The British had 500 dead and 1,568 wounded. The battle left the tribes virtually defenseless. Not only that 39 of the near 200 ships who made the fatal journey came back.

Stoick's thoughts were occupied a concerning thought. Stoick knee it would be inevitable. He would ousted as chief for sure.

 _Two weeks later_

The docks were crowded with families expecting a triumphant return. It was not what they expected.

The navy dispursed on the way back heading home to their respective islands. The 2 berkians ships docked revealing nothing but demoralized men and women. The stench of blood and dead filled the air.

Astrid stood next to Hiccup, though she was still mad at her father she still wanted to see him and her mother return from war. Stoick walked over to them. He looked right at Astrid.

"I'm sorry lass" he fought against sobbing "your parents didn't come home."

 **Sorry I had to end this one in a sad note but it's the effect of wars. Hiccup will write a new song in the next chapter, a parody of the Cliffs of Gallipoli. Next chapter we start to see the rise of a king. Dilloncoll**


	4. The Aftermath and The Rise of a King

**Guest: To answer this and do correct me if I'm wrong, in chapter 1 Stoick and the other chiefs thought that the British were a threat to the Archipelago and wanted to take them down.**

Astrid was shocked to say the least, just one month ago they were arguing. The last words she said to them were _I hate you_. She just stood there, Stoick's words playing over and over again in her mind. Then she felt a hand squeeze hers. She looked to her left only to look at Hiccup's eyes who were filled with worry.

The boats were still getting unloaded. The wounded being taken up to gothi's and the dead were getting ready for a viking's burial.

Hiccup pulled Astrid into a comforting embrace. She buried her head into his neck not wanting the people of Berk to see her face because for the first time in almost 10 years, Astrid Hofferson was crying.

 _The Great Hall, Two hours later_

Stoick called a meating if the elders as the dead were being sent to Valhalla. The elders were not pleased, this was the first time they yelled at the chief.

"YOU SENT 20,000 VIKINGS TO THIER DEATH!"

Each of the 8 elders took their turn yelling at the chief. The riders were also present as they were called to they meeting. The watched it all unfold and saw Stoick accepting the elders rage. The battle changed Stoick.

"I can't believe the chief is taking all this abuse" said Fishlegs.

"Believe it, he hasn't said a word since this meeting started" replied Hiccup.

The teens watched as Mildew birated Stoick. Astrid wasn't paying much attention, she rested her head on Hiccup's shoulder as if to block out everyone, still upset about the loss of her parents. Finally Stoick spoke to the elders.

"I know I sent them to their deaths, I made a mistake. I cannot bear the thought that it was me who sent them to their death. That's why I'm abdicating my throne."

The elders were shocked, yeah the were mad at him but they didn't expect him wanting to abdicate.

"WHAT!"

Hiccup was shocked he couldn't believe what his father was saying.

"Dad you can't give up your throne, you're chief of Berk."

"I'm sorry Hiccup, I can't be chief and live with this disaster."

Hiccup stood there with Astrid behind him. A thought came to him.

"Will I become chief if you abdicate"

"Yes, why?"

"I want to lead Berk to Victory"

The room fell silent, Hiccup wanted to lead Berk.

"But, I want to be king not chief"

"Why? There is no difference" Stoick replied.

"If I'm called king, Berk will be taken seriously."

Fishlegs thought it was time for his input

"He is not wrong, if Berk goes from a chiefdom to a kingdom, European nation will recognize us and maybe come to our aid."

"You do realize that we are Pagan, they'll call a crusade against us" Spitelout said.

"Not if I become a Christian king. They'll never call one against their own."

The elders talked with themselves, weighing the options. If Berk was to survive they would have to become Christian as well as give up their normal way of life. They would have to hire a cardinal to send to Rome to prove the pope the were Christian.

"The Archipelago also needs to rally behind me. We will be weak if we fight alone, but if the tribes will support me, we can survive together."

It will be hard to convince the tribes but they know they'll have to accept for their own survival.

"The berkian millitary needs to be reformed. If we want to fight a European we'll have to have fight like them. That means we need to switch our weapons as well" Hiccup said.

"Aye, they had these crossbow like weapons and these giant black things that are like catapults but deadlier" Stoick replied.

"If you can give me an accurate description I can draw them up and ask Gobber to make them" Hiccup said.

"The elders have come to a decision. Hiccup haddock the 3rd from here on Berk and the world shall know as Hiccup the 1st, King of Berk."

 _Three weeks later..._

The riders traveled to Rome for Hiccup's coronation. The Pope agreed to crown Hiccup only if he agreed to be baptized. Hiccup agreed and now stood before the Pope. The blacksmiths of Rome made a special crown for the young king. It was made jewels from the Ottaman Empire, Iron from Austria, and Silk from the far away lands of China.

First the Pope baptized him in holy water. Blessing him and wishing good health. Then it was time to be crowned.

"Do you, Hiccup, promise to serve god and only god."

"I, Hiccup, promise to serve God and do his will and only his will."

"If a crusade against an enemy of god is called, do you promise to join in the attack."

"If a crusade is called, Berk will spread the word of god through the conquest of his enemies."

"Do you promise to never break the 10 commandments."

"I promise not to break the 10 commandments."

"Bow down facing me and the cross."

Hiccup kneeled before the Pope. The riders were to his right, wearing the best clothes they could find. Astrid couldn't help but smile at her dragon boy.

"God and I, Alexander the 8th, crown you King Hiccup the 1st, King of Berk."

 _No allegiance!_

 _I will swear no oath!_

 _Crowned by god not by the church!_

 _As my power is devine!_

The crown of Berk was placed upon his head. Sparkling in the sunlight was the crown. Once the crown was placed on his head he stood up and faced the crowd.

"The blacksmiths of Rome have one more gift for you."

Hiccup turned back to the Pope who was holding a two handed long sword. The blade was reflecting the sun, the hilt was as equally as beautiful as the blade. It depicted a dragon wrapping itself around over a person holding a blade to the sky.

Hiccup gladly took the blade into his hands. The young king took a few light swings then held it up to sky as if letting god bless the blade. The riders flanked him admiring the crown and the sword.

Hiccup and the riders left the church, flanked by the Swiss guard. A carriage waited for them for a tour of Rome. The king and his friends got on and visited the many sights of Rome.

 _Berk one month later_

It had only been two months since Hiccup took over and many things had changed on the island. The dockyard has been expanded allowing for larger ships to dock as well as allowing for the construction of large ships. The once wooden walls of Berk were beginning to be turned into stone walls. Cannons lined the walls as well, Hiccup hired some blacksmiths from the Poland-Lithuania Commonwelth to help Gobber make weapons. Berk also annexed 15 of the 70 tribes in the archipelago.

As for the millitary, it began to look like a European army. Though it was small it was good enough to protect the island from invaders. It had also been modernized as request of Hiccup. The 10,000 man army were equipped with muskets from Poland.

The great hall was converted into a throne room. Statues of the 5 dragons that saved the day lined the path up to the throne itself. There sat Hiccup listening to his advisors. Astrid was given title, chief of army. Her job was to oversee the Millitary, plan invasions, and serve as second in command to the king. Fishlegs was appointed to chief of trade and Admrial of the navy. Snotlout was given the rank of the commander of the garrison. The twins were given the position of technology tester, a role Hiccup thought they would love.

"The British will be here any day now. It's only a matter of time till they attack" Astrid said.

"She is right, the navy can give some support but not a lot" replied Fishlegs.

"The garrison will be raised if necessary" Snotlout added.

"Raise the garrison only when the British arrive" Hiccup said sternly.

"What about cannons, I'm gonna need them to put up a defence."

"Get some cannons off the walls and see if Gobber has any new ones made. Understand Astrid?"

"I understand."

"Sorry if I sound angry I'm just a bit stressed."

"Hiccup you're fine. I get it it's hard to lead a kingdom. If i need to get cannons off the walls I'll have the dragons get them off."

"Fishlegs, how is the navy doing? How many ships do we have?"

"We have 2 ships fully built another 3 under construction. The one should be done by the end of the week. We also have those 5 Polish ships that we still need to pay off."

"We will pay the Commonwealth in due time."

"We are also trading with the Swedish and Russians. A trade ship from the Netherlands came today as well."

Just then a palace guard approached Hiccup.

"My lord, British ships were spotted by some fisherman. They are about a day's worth of sailing away."

"Understood, Astrid you know what to do."

"Yes my lord" said Astrid with a smirk.

 _meanwhile on the high sea..._

The British navy was escorting 5,000 troops to the island of Berk. General Montgomery was unaware of the leadership changes and the new upgrade to the millitary on the island. He was confident the island would fall within the week. His troops weren't the best but they were good enough to destroy a Viking army, or so he thought.

 **Remember how I said Hiccup was gonna write a song. I lied. But it's gonna come eventually. Next chapter will most likely see a battle on berkian soil. We finally see the new and improved Berkian Army as well. Berk still needs a flag so give me some ideas. Dilloncoll**


	5. Battle for Berk

The day came to raise the flags of Berk. 10,000 professional soldiers and 500 militia sallied forth to meet their foe. Not wanting to bring the dragons into a harmful situation, Hiccup asked to ride a horse into battle. So there he was, King Hiccup on top a white horse. The army also brought 10 cannons for support.

"Astrid, you lead the right flank, Snotlout the left, I'll take the center" Hiccup said.

"Yes sir" they replied in unison.

The King's guard were present, guarding the center, making sure nothing could hurt their king. Snotlout had his militia as well as 2,500 soldiers from the army to guard the left. He also had 3 of the ten cannons for support.

Hiccup had the majority of the army with him in the center. 5,000 men guarded the center. 700 of whom were part of the king's guard, the most elite unit. Hiccup had 4 cannons for support.

Astrid had 2,500 soldiers to guard the right. Her most elite unit was the Valkyries, a regiment made entirely by women. She put these 600 women from across the kingdom into a training program similar to the Kong's guard. She had the remaining 3 back her up.

It wasn't long before the British were seen. They emerged from the tree line in battle formation. The 5,000 redcoats were not deterred by their enemies show of strength. Montgomery, though surprised at the army in front of him, felt like he was gonna win. There was no way the Vikings could raise a professional army.

Hiccup compared the forces, he outnumbered them 2:1. He turned to his men to give a rousing speech before the battle.

"Men and of Berk! Today you meet the same enemy the killed your friends and family. Today is the day you avenge them. To tell them that their sacrifice was not in vain. Today we show the world that Berk can fight like them, Today we show the world that Berk is here to stay. TODAY IS THE DAY YOU FIGHT FOR BERK!"

Cheers erupted from the berkian lines, inspired by the king's words. Hiccup rode back behind his lines to give his commands.

"Berkians, forward!"

"Orders" the army replied.

"March!"

The drums began best as the Berkian army marched into battle. The flags waving in the wind as if trying to say hello to the British. The cannons opened fired, 6 pound iron balls heading right for the British.

The British kept marching. The first cannon ball landed right in front of one regiment, bounced, then preceded to make a hole in the line. Another hit right in the middle of the line. The explosions of dirt caused men to fly and the color bearer to lose the flag. The man to his right picked the flag up and continued to march.

Hiccup was pleased with his cannons, doing a healthy amount of damage. Astrid was itching for a fight. She wanted to avenge her parents, to show them that she still loved them. Then she saw it, a ditch in between the two armies.

"Double quick" she yelled.

Her troops broke into a run, wanting to get to the ditch before the enemy.

Hiccup saw this, he was mad that Astrid moved forward the rest of the army but he felt like she knew what she was doing. The troops made it to the ditch, out of breath, as well as tired. Astrid knew she was in range now.

"Ready"

The troops readied their guns.

"Aim!"

The Berkians aimed their guns at the British.

"Fire!"

They fired their guns for resounding volley. Training had payed off. Hundreds of British troops fell. Astrid was proud of her men and women.

Montgomery was shocked at the skill of these troops. An explosion hit the line right in front of him, another 12 men down. They finally stopped their march and got ready to fire.

Astrid saw this and got off her horse, not wanting to be an easy target. She looked behind her, the rest of the army wasn't gonna make it.

The guns blared from the British. Smoke blocked them from sight but the cannons still fired.

Astrid saw a few of her men go down in front of her. She looked behind her to see the damage done to the rest of the army. They fared well. Only about 300 fell to the bullets.

Hiccup jumped off his horse once they reached the ditch. He gave the order to fire and his men fired. The king's guard had not yet fired, they were in reserve.

Another line of Montgomery's men fell. The Berkian cannons weren't helping either, they tore another hole in one of his regiments.

Astrid's division fired another volley, ripping apart the British regiments.

Snotlout's division took a hard hit from one British regiment. A gap in one his professional lines was not hard to see. Hiccup sent the king's guard to fill the gap.

The British right flank began to charge, exploiting the hole in the Berkians line. Snotlout was worried, he didn't want to be the guy who lost the battle for the army. Just then the king's guard arrived, aiding the left flank.

Montgomery was confident in the charge, destroying their left will cause them to retreat. The King's guard aimed at the tide of redcoats.

The thundering crackle of musket fire was heard. A good portion of the charging force was down. What remained made it to the ditch but quickly surrendered after a quick melee. Snotlout began to celebrate but it was cut short when a bullet struck him in his hand.

The center wasn't doing good either. The Berkians were dug in deep. Colonel Wyatt was doing his best to keep the center together.

"Come on boys, don't let them keep the field!"

Wyatt felt an explosion to his left. He looked only to see a hole in the ground where 10 men stood. The color bearer to his right went down next. He couldn't see what his men were shooting at. Then a bullet entered his shoulder. Wyatt fell down in pain, he's been colonel for two years and this was the first time he'd been hit.

The left flank was getting demolished. Two of the three officers were down and only a forth of them remained. Astrid's Valkyries did a lot of damage and only 79 went down so far.

Montgomery knew he couldn't win now. He had lost almost half his army. A cannon ball struck the ground to his right causing some medics who were carrying the wounded to go flying.

"Major, call a retreat."

"Yes sir."

The trumpets blared signaling for a retreat. The army began to retreat, the day was lost. The Berkian cannons were not done with their pray yet. Another round of iron balls hit the retreating troops.

Hiccup seeing the retreat gave the order to push forward. They marched after them not wanting them to escape into the trees. The Berkian flags advanced in the glistening sunlight. From the town, villagers cheered on their families who were pushing back the British.

"Your boy is one of a kind Stoick."

"Aye, that he is Gobber."

British troops saw their fallen colonel and tried to bring him back to their lines. They lifted him onto a stretcher and were about to carry him away. Bullets began to strike their backs.

"There's a colonel, get him" a Berkian said.

They walked over to colonel Wyatt, picked up his strecher, and brought him back behind their lines.

What remained of the attackers made it to the tree line with the Berkians close behind. Hiccup order for Astrid to go after them. The valkyries gave a chilling scream and charged into the trees.

Astrid was quick with attack. Bullets hitting trees, men tripping over roots, the wounded screaming in past. Some surrendered while others continued to run.

The rest of the day saw nothing more then small skirmishes. Astrid pushed Montgomery back to his ships by nightfall. The British were thrown off the island in just 5 hours.

Hiccup and the army were welcomed back with a grand celebration. Flowers were thrown from houses as soldiers marched by. As Hiccup rode by all he heard were shouts of all hail King Hiccup!

"The day may be won, but war is far from over" he said.

"My lord, we captured a colonel. He's wounded, what should we do with him?" Some soldiers said.

"Bring him to gothi, we are not gonna let any wounded die, friend or foe."

The army and militia dispersed soon after, tired from the day's fight.

There were no celebrations on the British ships. All Montgomery could think was ' _How am I gonna explain this to King William'_

At the end of the day the Kingdom of Berk had 290 dead and 1,067 wounded. The British had 700 dead, 2,298 wounded, and 500 missing.

 **Im getting these chapters done so fast the system is not recognizing the story has been updated. Every so often I'm gonna have a chapter devoted to the casualties of the war and important figures that have been killed. Glad to see people liking the story, this is my favorite project so far. Dilloncoll**


	6. The War Snowballs

_Throne Room, Berk 3 days later..._

It didn't take long before Hiccup said it was time to go on the offensive. The celebrations of victory died off, now was the time for strategy. Only Fishlegs, Astrid, and Snotlout were present. The twins were off testing a new type of cannon Gobber made.

"Hiccup we don't have enough ships to fight their navy."

"I know legs, I know. Snotlout how's your hand?"

"I was told not to do anything heavy on the hands. Gothi said the bandages would be off in a week or so."

Snotlout was shot in the hand while celebrating throwing back the British in the battle. He was one of the near eleven hundred men and women wounded in the battle. Berk was still burying the few hundred soldiers lost in the fight at the newly constructed church. Berk won the day nonetheless and that victory sent shockwaves in the Archipelago. Another 6 tribes joined the kingdom, which allowed the millitary to grow even more.

"You can still attack their trade ships" Astrid said.

"I could but I fear they will retaliate hard" Fishlegs replied.

Just then a palace guard approached the throne.

"My lord, an envoy from Poland wishes to meet with you."

"Send him in."

"Yes my lord."

The guard walked back to the palace doors.

"Watch them ask for their money again" Astrid said.

"I wouldn't doubt it" Hiccup replied.

The guard came back with envoy from Poland.

"I am honored to be in your presence your highness. I'm Aleksander Szymon the royal envoy for the Commonwealth. My king, Jan the 3rd Sobieski wants to offer an alliance between our two great kingdoms."

"I am honored that the king of Poland thinks that the kingdom of Berk will be a good ally. What about the debt that we still owe?"

"His lordship said to forget the debt. In return he asks you to join his conquest of Prussia and France who have seemingly allied with the British."

Hiccup sat there for second taking in this new information. France and Prussia are now against him. If he didn't accept the offer he would be alone fighting three great kingdoms, but if he allied with Poland it'd be two against three.

"My king also offered to give you troops as well as-" He pulled out a map of Prussia.

"North western Prussia if we conquer them."

New land wouldn't be bad, it would also give him a jumping off point when it come time to invade France.

"Tell your king he's got a deal."

"Wonderful your highness, I'll shall leave right away to tell my king the good news."

And with that he left the palace bearing good tidings for his king.

 _Berlin, Prussia_

"My lord, the Reich is ready to march for Warsaw."

King Fredrick turned around to face General Rommel, his most trusted general.

"Very well, get my horse."

"Yes my lord."

Fredrick was ready for war once again, after all he was king of the Prussian war machine. Soon 80,000 soldiers left Berlin on thier way to Warsaw.

 _Paris, France_

The city was bustling, traders selling their goods, the rich taking a carriage ride through the town, and love birds taking a morning stroll. You wouldn't expect an army of 90,000 men to be in the city, but they were there.

King Louis was waiting for a letter from Prussia, letting him know send his army to war. He was not gonna go with them though, he had matter more pressing then leading an army.

 _Vienna Austria_

The Holy Roman Empire was crumbling around Austria. Ever since Prussia unified the emperor has been loosing power the region. This whole Berk- British war gave them the excuse they needed to regain power. That's why 60,000 were on their way to Berlin and another 20,000 to southern France.

 _Warsaw Poland_

King Jan the 3rd gathered all the troops he could get. War was coming to Poland whether Berk accepted or not. The Prussians wanted Danzig to combine the portions of the kingdom. 30,000 were already in Danzig, but they weren't gonna hold for long. The armies of Poland for marching for Berlin, all 200,000 of them.

 _London Great Britain_

General Montgomery had not returned yet but William was confident that the Vikings had fallen.

Since Montgomery left he established a shaky alliance with France and brought Prussia and France into the war, promising land to both kingdoms. He wasn't aware that Prussia woke up the sleeping giant that is Poland.

William raised another 10,000 troops just in case the unthinkable happened.

 _Danzig, Western Poland_

General Teobald was ordered to defend the Danzig corridor. The king trusted Teobald to hold this land, after all he is one of the very few that could say that Moscow bent its knee to him. He was the man who gained all that land for Poland a few years back and he was determined to keep that land.

He was at his desk in his tent reading a book on the history of Rome when a scout came in.

"What is it?"

"Sir, a Prussian army has crossed the border. They are headed straight towards us."

Teobald looked up from his book. He sighed and took off his glasses.

"How many troops did they have?"

"I couldn't get a good look sir, I'm waiting for some of my men to come back with more on this army. I can tell you though, we are outnumbered."

Teobald stood up, he was a giant of a man. His sheer size scared his enemy into submission but his size made him an easy target.

"If they attack we'll have the high ground. They'll also have to cross a small river before they get to us."

Teobald exited the tent looking at the soldiers sitting around, telling stories, eating, or writing a book. He then looked at the setting sun in the west.

"They'll have to stop for a rest at some point. These men are well rested, if they attack tomorrow they'll be exhausted. Get the men up early so we can set up. Then we wait for the enemy, then fight. Understood?"

"Yes sir!"

"Good."

Teobald went back into his tent to continue reading his book.

 **This chapter was mainly about the scale this conflict snowballed into. I'm gonna clarify everything so nobody gets confused. We know why Berk and Britain are at war. Poland is allied to Berk now because of in an imitate Prussian invasion. Prussia is allied to Britian from the start and is looking to expand its borders. Austria is involved because they are afraid of loosing more power and see this war as a way to regain lost lands and strength. I forgot to mention this but the many German states are divided on each side. Sone support Prussia others are with Austria. France is a weird one, historically there is no way the would ally with Britian because they are colonial rivals. France wants to avoid major conflicts with Britain but is willing to stop eastern problems. Next is the first of many battles in the east. Dilloncoll**


	7. Battle of Danzig Day 1

_Danzig the next day_

A fog sat upon the battlefield, erie in its nature. Through that fog the white eagle marched to a hill that over looked a nearby river. Teabold knew today was the day the black eagle of the Prussian Riech would meet the white eagle of Poland. The polish army was regarded as the best in the world, second only to none. Their Calvary, the Winged Hussars were the most feared unit in history. No one dare fight them on polish turf, or any turf for that matter.

The plan was simple, hold the river until reinforcements arrived. The most logical point of attack was where the polish were currently located. Teabold knew what their goal was, unify the land. A force twice or more times his size was bariling full speed towards him. Teabold was determined to hold as long as he could, reinforcements or not. The nearest army was an hours march away, the army numbered 40,000, enough to hold the much large Prussian army.

The fog began to lift revealing beautiful countryside divided by a river and a few small creeks. Teabold looked to the sun, it was 7:00 hours. The Prussian army would be on its way by now. 30 cannons lined the small hill, 6 of which were the newly invented howitzer guns. Dirt and wood were placed around the guns to make temporary fortifications. Dirt was also lifted and placed by the shallowest points of the river. Two major concerns were brought up. Two bridges provided easy acces to the rest of Poland, so the army was split into thirds. Ten guns were placed by the bridges to prevent a major attack.

 _30 minutes later..._

Scouts were riding up and down the lines, reporting what they saw and delivering messages. Teabold was looking through his telescope watching the trees and roads for movement. A scout rode up with urgent news.

"Sir, the first elements of Andrzejek's army has arrived!"

"How many?"

"10,000 sir"

"Divide them and get them to the bridges."

"Yes sir!"

He rode off to give the general's orders. Teabold went back to looking through his telescope. He looked to the west woods, trying to find movement. He did, the dark blue coats of the Prussian army were as clear as day. They were heading right towards him. There was no sign of cannons and cavalry, this was most likely an advance party.

The Prussian army was still another hour west. Fredrick's army was tired but they knew their goal. General Hans was ordered to advance early to secure a river crossing for the rest of the army. Hans only had 7,500 men with him, no cannons, and no cavalry. He had no idea what he was marching into.

The polish army quickly got into position, their officers saw the oncoming army. Teabold watched as they marched right for the southern bridge. It was too perfect.

Colonel Albercik led the defence of the southern bridge. He ordered for the flags stay down until the battle began so the Prussians wouldn't see them.

"Cannons are in range sir" an officer whispered.

"do not fire until I give command" he whispered back.

Albercik looked at his men. Some clutching their guns others were praying. He looked up, the Prussian army was slowly getting closer.

"Sir they are in rifle range, why are we still holding?"

"Because I said so!"

They were getting closer to the bridge by the second. They were now in close enough. Colonel Albercik stood up with his sword drawn.

"Fire!"

The polish soldiers stood up and gave a resounding volley.

General Hans was not prepared, as soon as he started to give orders but a bullet struck his abdomen. The Prussians tried to get position but the polish cannons ripped holes in the attackers.

The first howitzer fired next leashing it's 10 pound explosive upon the Prussians. They were about to fire but the shell hit them. A massive explosion followed, fire, dirt, and iron flew at the poor soldiers.

From the hill Teabold watched the battle unfold, smiling at the howitzer's effectiveness. He took out his telescope to look at the surrounding landscape. He spotted another wave a Prussians heading towards the north bridge.

The Prussian army was forced to retreat they couldn't deal with the amount of fire coming from across the river. A regiment of jagers were ordered to protec the retreating forces.

Bullets were flying everywhere. Albercik's men were strong, they won't give the bridge up easily. The solder in front of him flew back, struck in the eye.

At the northern bridge the polish cannons started firing. The Prussians reacted quickly by getting into battle formation. The talons of the iron eagle grabbed on to the wings of the white eagle. The polish infantry stood up and began to fire. A couple hundred fell but they were not deterred. They fired back making sure the battle wasn't leaning in Poland's favor. The bullets struck the dirt fortifications and some men.

Fredrick arrived on the battlefield with his staff. He looked to his right to watch the shattered advance party retreat. An officer trotted by on his horse looking down in shame.

"Colonel, where is General Hans?"

Without looking up at the king he replied, "He's dead my lord."

The king looked out onto the battlefield with no emotion.

"They are dug in gentlemen but that will not stop us from achieving victory."

He turned back to his staff to give orders.

"General Bismarck, I want you to take 20,000 men and push them off that river."

"My lord that's a fourth of our army. If I send those men to attack we will lose more men then necessary."

"Your right. Head south find, find another river crossing, cross it, then march back north and attack them."

"Yes my lord."

Bismark rode off to find his division.

The polish army did not move an inch. More troops began to arrive on the field. Teabold sent them to the flanks or told them to stay on the hill as reserve. He watched as the Prussians launch a new attack on the southern bridge. The white eagle still held the river.

Bismark moved south like order but ran into a problem. A small force of polish infantry guarded the nearest crossing. He ordered for an attack but was thrown back in just 10 minutes.

Back north the Prussian artillery finally arrived and got into position. At the same time Fredrick ordered for an attack on the center. General Rommel led the attack there.

"Fire" Rommel yelled.

His troops unleashed a huge volley on the polish center. To Rommel's relief Saxon troops arrived to aid the attack. With the extra help the polish center began to break. Rommel knew this was his opportunity to secure the river.

"Charge!"

The two German armies made a break for it.

The polish cannons on the hill lit up as soon as they began to charge. Teabold was not fazed, he knew they would be thrown back.

The charge slowed down once that made it to the river. Iron balls hitting the ground near them causing some to fly back. Rommel raised his right hand trying to get his men to attack. He was struck in the hand but still kept his cool.

The polish fired another volley, some cut short by Prussian cannons firing back. A howitzer fired, its shot landed right in the middle of the Prussian horde. The explosion sent 30 men flying.

Rommel began to freak out, his troops were only halfway across and were taking heavy losses. He was too committed to call a retreat but didn't want to continue letting his men get slaughtered like cattle. A bullet struck his horse, it reared up bucking him off. The poor horse fell to the ground beside him. Rommel grabbed his pistol and put the thing out of its misery.

"Shit" he muttered.

Rommel stood up and holstered his pistol. He started to walk away, the Prussian war machine couldn't break the beast from the east. His men finally made it across the river but they lost over half of what they had. They still advanced serving their king proud.

To make matters worse for the Prussian army a small detachment of winged hussars came from the north forcing the Prussian army to divert some troops to protect their flank. The southern bridge still held on but they needed Bismarck's aid soon.

It was if god was answering their prayers as Bismarck's division finally arrived to the south. Albercik acted quick, he diverted 2,500 of his troops to face the oncoming Prussian troops.

Teabold saw this and diverted 4 cannons to fire on the ocoming Prussian troops. He sent 2,000 men to go aid the flank.

Alberick gave the order fire at their enemies. At least 100 went down. Cannon balls came soon after ripping holes into the regiments.

Rommel's men made it to the polish defenses and engaged in brutal hand to hand combat. Some were stabbed in the gut, others get shot in close range.

Teabold watched as his red and white flags clashed with his enemies black and white.

A polish regiment charged into the fray in an attempt to push back the Germans. Rommel's men finally gave up their fight and began to retreat.

Bismark's momentum wore off as well. His 18,089 men were stopped in their tracks. Bismark could only watch in shame as he failed his king yet again. Cannon balls hit his men hard, discriminating no one. Howitzer shells doing more damage then ever, explosions knocking back men 20 at a time.

In the north the Prussian troops fled, the flank collapsing due to the hussars. To add insult to injury the polish troops began to chant Wróć do Prus, go back to Prussia.

Fredrick sighed. The day was lost but the battle wasn't over yet.

"Sound a retreat."

Trumpets sounded off, and the shattered Prussia troops retreated. Bismark and his men retreated back south, they were gonna hold their river crossing.

Rommel made it back to the Prussian cannons after a long walk of shame. He walked over the dead, not wanting to see their horrifying faces.

"you okay General?"

"I'm fine, I just need some bandages for my hand."

"Yes sir!"

Rommel leaned against one of the destroyed guns, resting his head. Fredrick rode up to him.

"General Rommel!"

He looked up to see his king's stern eyes.

"Rally your men, we are headed south."

Rommel looked at him with blank stare not saying a word.

"General Rommel do you hear me? Gather your men we are heading south."

"My lord" he replied with a hoarse voice, "I have no more men."

King Fredrick sighed, he looked onto the battlefield, the sun was beginning to set. The corpses of his men lie everywhere. The river turned red from the blood of the fallen troops. The day maybe lost but the battle was far from over.

Teabold knew the battle was far from over. If they attacked from the south it meant they had a way to cross.

"Men, tonight we rest, tomorrow we march south to meet them. King Jan will meet us there. Colonel Albercik you stay here the and guard the flank. You'll have 20,000 men at your disposal as well as 20 cannons."

"Yes sir!"

The polish troops began to bury their dead. Some had lost fathers, others sons, uncles, cousins, and brothers. Alberick sighed, he was lucky to be standing.

Night fell on the battlefield. Of the 90,000 Prussian and Saxon forces, 20,768 had fallen. 7,088 dead, 11,674 wounded, and the rest captured. Poland saw 2,000 dead and 6,895 wounded of its 70,000 man army.

 **The battle isn't over, king Jan the 3rd is bringing some 100,000 troops. The battle is headed south, will we see Bismark thrown back across the river. Or will he hold long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Dilloncoll.**


	8. Battle of Danzig Day 2

**Long one that was, enjoy day 2.**

 _Danzig, the next day..._

Bismark still held the crossing he captured yesterday. Fredrick came earlier to inspect his lines, making sure they were ready for a fight. In private though Fredrick birated Bismark for his incompetence. He lost 20,000 men just because Bismarck's division couldn't beat a regiment of 600 men. Frederick didn't want to risk pushing against the stubborn polish.

King Jan arrived that morning with his army, fresh and itching for a fight. Teabold met up with his king early to discuss yesterday's events.

"We held the river, not much happened after that."

"I see, well then we'll attack them, send um back."

"Yes my lord."

The sun appeared over the horizon, it wouldn't be long before battle commenced. The polish cannons were in position already.

Fredrick feared they would be attacked at their crossing which is why he sent Rommel north to reopen the fighting there.

Albercik held position on the previous day's battlefield. Teabold order him to lead the flank while they attacked down south. 20,000 Polish soldiers guarded the north river.

Rommel's men made their march from the trees, battle ready.

Not waisting anytime, the polish batteries opened fire upon their foe.

"Remember there is no retreat, only victory" Rommel said to his men.

Behind him the Prussian cannons responded with a thounderous boom. The polish were not expecting the accurate shots. The first explosion tore holes into the dirt mound. 5 men flew backwards from another ball.

Rommel and his 16,000 advanced further. Rommel wasn't gonna fail again today. An explosion hit a line next to him, 12 men gone. The division split into threes, one heading to take the north bridge, one to take the south, and one to push the center.

Albercik witnessed more of his men get destroyed the Prussian cannons. They were accurate he'll give them that. Gun shots came from his right, they made it to the north bridge.

Meanwhile down south, the polish cannons began to fire on Bismarks position. The shells ripped apart the little protection the Germans had. King Fredrick couldn't give much support, he only had some 24,000 in reserve. His cannons fired though but did little damage.

King Jan fired back, the Prussian guns were no match.

"General, attack, send them back across."

"Yes my lord."

Teabold rode off to lead the attack. Almost 60,000 polish soldiers were about to converge on the small Prussian position.

"Men of Poland, Forward!"

"Orders!"

"March!"

The drums of war beat as the polish army began to move. Bismarck knew he wouldn't last long. A nearby officer was thrown of his horse when a cannonball hit nearby. The Prussian cannons did their best, opening small gaps in the polish lines but the red tide was too much.

Teabold, who moved with his troops, watched as 2 howitzer shells exploded in the middle of the Prussian line. His men were in range of musket fire but they continued to advance.

The Prussians opened fire doing as much as the could to stop the polish. Another cannon ball destroyed a line that was about to fire. Dirt and iron hit their faces as they fired the guns.

The polish wouldn't stop moving, the tide was getting closer. A walk turned into a sprint, a sprint turned into a run.

Back north Rommel and his men get closer to the polish defenses. The polish began to shoot their muskets at them. The Prussians fell but they still advanced. They got in range and unleashed a devastating volley.

Some polish troops fell but still held. Albercik was not gonna give up the land. His cannons fired back destroying the Prussian lines once again.

It looked like the polish were again but then the Union Jack from the forest. The redcoats arrived in Danzig.

 _Meanwhile..._

Bismarks men did not move. The polish stopped for a quick second to fire. The volley was brutal, hundreds upon hundreds fell. The polish charged right into the Prussian lines. The melee was costly. The Prussian black coats turned red from all the blood being spilled. The two eagles danced in combat.

Fredrick tried to rally his troops to no avail.

Bismark directed the troops as best he could. His commanding was cut short when 3 bullets entered his body. The officer next to him tried to help him but was cut down as well.

The winged hussars broke through the defenses and made a break for the king. They were stopped by the royal guard. Then a shell demolished the small line they had formed. Bismarks men gave up hope, then turned and ran.

The polish went after them, capturing who they could.

Fredrick was about leave but then the British arrived with the aid of Bavaria.

Teabold formed defensive positions as best he could. His lines were a mess but they would hold for now.

The British cannons fired on the polish battery destroying a few guns. Then a line regiment fired a volley into the polish. Many fell but they did not retreat.

The polish responded with their own volley. The British lost a few but continued to fire back. Teabold was giving orders to his defending troops when he was hit in his hip.

Back north Rommel was reinforced by 20,000 British soldiers. King William lied to his advisors, he knew Prussia was gonna declare war on Poland so he divided to help. Two kings against one.

"Your highness, I'm Aaron Rommel."

"Greeting Mr. Rommel, the majority of my army is south of here but I'm here to help destroy the flank."

King Jan revived the news of the British in the north. They threatened him on all sides. He had two options, hold or run. He decided to hold. 30,000 Polish Troops were on their way north to reinforce the battered defenders.

Teabold's men were all that stood between the British and the polish cannons. The crews were moving nonstop. Loading and firing was all they did. Their shells hit hard when fired.

General Forrest tried to push with us 6,000 men but was stopped in his tracks as soon as he reached the river. The polish line infantry were not gonna give up the river. Bodies were being used as cover at this point. The dead had no more use because they were dead.

Forrest was knocked of his horse when a howitzer shell landed right in front of him, dead center on one of his lines.

The smoke became unbearable. Troops couldn't see a thing, they were firing blindly into the fog hoping to hit something. Colonel Greene tried to get his regiment to the river but cut short when a bullet went through his pelvis.

The 18th London tried to push as well but two cannon balls took out 30 men as soon as they began to march. A tattered Union Jack went flying when a howitzer shell landed on the 49th Lancaster.

Back north Rommel and King William launched an attack on the polish defenders. Though running out of men they were determined to hold. Just then a brigade fell into them and reinforced their line.

A cannon ball exploded right in front of Rommel. His horsed reared up, frightened, then was hit by two bullets killing it instantly.

"Dammit, Not again" said Rommel as he got up off the ground.

"Are you alright?"

"I am your Highness."

"Good, we are retreating. We'll attack when my army fully arrives."

 _20 miles east_

An army was on the march, moving as fast as it could to aid the fighting at Danzig. They were in a rush yes but they knew the polish could hold for a long time against the Prussians and the British. After all King Hiccup beat them not too long ago and he was determined to do it again.

 **I bet everyone is confused why the British and Berk is here. All those meetings and stuff about the other kingdoms involved happened over the course a few days. Dilloncoll**


	9. Battle of Danzig Day 3 part 1

**Yes there will be Hiccstrid, here you go happy now?**

 **Also good job CommanderGreya for getting it correct. Gott mit uns is German for God is with us.**

The Berkian army marched all night and into the morning. Hiccup was determined to help the polish army before the battle ended. Astrid and Heather has tagged along for this campaign. Heather was from beserker tribe who recently joined the kingdom. Hiccup saw her smarts and bravery so he gave her a position in the army.

It was 4 o'clock in the morning when they reached Danzig. Flames licked the grass in front the hill he was on. _'Yesterday's fight must of been brutal'_ he thought to himself. Astrid got off her horse behind him and walked up to him.

"Quiet isn't it" she said.

"Won't be quiet for long."

"Get some rest, you'll need the strength in a few hours."

"I could say the same to you."

The two teens looked out onto the field. Cries of the wounded filled their ears, begging for god to take then now. Hiccup sighed.

"I hate this" he said.

"Hate what, the war?"

"No these akward conversations we've been having since I became king."

"Oh" she replied. She looked at him, the moonlight bounced off his skin illuminating him. The war had changed Hiccup, he went from the sweetest guy on earth to a stone cold General. As the days went on Hiccup had started to grow facial hair. Bags formed under his eyes from the lack of sleep he was getting.

"My soldiers set up a tent for me. It's big enough to fit two."

"I'm fine, you need your space."

"You're not fine, you have bags under your eyes, your hair is out of control, and I do not need my space."

"Astrid.."

"No Hiccup, you have going non stop since you became king. You haven't get any sleep in almost a week. The only time you rest is when you eat or go off into the woods to use the bathroom."

"Why is my well being so important to you" he screamed.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"

They fell silent. Astrid was about to continue when Hiccup silenced her with a kiss. She tensed up at first but slowly melted into his loving embrace. They kiss for a long time, not willing to let each other go. Hiccup final pulled away gasping for air.

"I'm sorry for that" he muttered.

"I'm sorry for yelling."

"Don't apologize, I should be the one saying sorry. Your right I've been working too hard. I'm worried that if I relax just a little the kingdom will fall apart."

"I understand, i'd be worried too if I was queen." Hiccup smirked and stiffiled a laugh.

"Who knows, maybe once this is all over you will be queen of Berk."

"Hiccup don't say that you're not gonna..."

His words he replayed in her mind. She blushed after realizing what he meant.

"I, uhh, I" she stuttered.

"Just shut up and lead me to your tent."

Astrid smiled and grabbed his hand. For once Hiccup can enjoy a little bit of sleep and she could enjoy being by him once again. They entered the tent, big enough for two. He was about to say something when Astrid undid his officers uniform's buttons.

"Don't say anything, just get some rest."

He didn't say a word. Hiccup took off the wool shirt to reveal a slim but muscular body. Years working in the forge had payed off. His ribs were still visible though, showing how little since becoming king. Scars from the fight with red death were still visible. Astrid couldn't help but stare.

"Like what you see malady?"

He flexed his right arm "showing" his strength. Astrid blushed again, had she been staring that long. Hiccup laughed at her facial expression. He lied down on the nice makeshift bed. Hiccup closed his eyes and fell fast asleep. Astrid bent down and kissed the top of his head.

"Sleep tight my king."

She took off her own uniform and got right in bed with him.

The sun shone brightly in the early morning hours. King Jan was looking forward to today's fight. He would be not only meeting the king of Berk but fighting along side him as well.

"I heard he stood 7 feet tall."

"I heard he's got the strength of a bear."

King Jan's officers were sharing rumors about the berkian king they heard. A young girl with jet black hair and in a officer uniform approached them.

"Who are you?" King Jan asked.

"Your highness, I'm Heather Beserk, one of King Hiccup's trusted advisors."

"Ah good. Where may I find your king, I would like to meet him as soon as possible to discuss today's plan."

"The king is asleep, he's not gotten any rest in almost a week."

"Sounds like he's the type who is willing to do anything for his kingdom. Well, tell him when he gets up that I'd like to meet him."

"Will do your highness. Until the king is up the berkian forces. We are 20,000 strong, wherever you need us we will go."

"I need more troops on the northern flank. I can trust to lead the defense there?"

"Yes you can."

"Good."

With that Heather gave him a salute and rode off.

She rode over to the King's tent. No sign of him. Heather then went to Astrid's tent to see she saw him. As Heather entered Astrid's tent she saw the two curled up next to each other. She smiled at the sight of the two. A few rumbles were heared off in the distance. Heather didn't think much of them until explosions rattled the camp.

The British and Prussian cannons had opened fire, taking advantage with the time they could get. The crews worked hard reloading the cannons. If today's fight was to be won, they needed to shell the defender's position.

Hiccup and Astrid got up quickly. They were too concerned for their own safety then the current position the two were in. Both got on their uniforms quickly and left the tent. Not three seconds later an explosion destroyed the tent.

"That was close" Hiccup said.

"Yeah" Astrid replied, out of breath.

The two of them walked over to where some soldiers had their horses. A cannon ball took out a berkian medic who was trying to help some wounded.

"Go get the men going, I'll meet you up there. See what Heather has to say as well."

"Where are you going?"

"To find King Jan!"

Hiccup rode off south trying to find the king of Poland.

Astrid found Heather trying to get her men moving.

"How many you lose?"

"At least 20."

"Damn. Did you talk with king Jan at all?"

"Yes I did, he wants us to head north and guard the flank with a portion of his army."

The polish and Berk batteries fired back, not wanting their enemy to get to much of an advantage.

King Jan was giving orders to his generals when a man on white horse rode up to him.

"Hello there, who might you be?" Jan asked.

"I'm King Hiccup the first of Berk. It's honor to meet you."

King Jan took a good look at this man. On top his head was in fact a crown.

"It is nice to meet you King Hiccup. Come, let us discuss the day's plan."

Hiccup jumped off his horse to talk to the polish king.

"Today they'll attack. They are determined to capture this river. If we beat them back they can't unify the two Prussian kingdoms."

"I understand, I'll do my best to hold the river."

"Head north to meet up with Colonel Albercik. You'll help him lead the defense there."

"Will do."

Hiccup got back on his horse to go find his two generals.

Astrid and Heather and already marched north. They wanted to get in position as fast as possible. The Berkian flag was a meanicing sight. A black Dragon spraying flames over a red banner.

Colonel Albercik did not expect these reinforcements but gladly accepted. A young woman with golden blond hair walked up to him.

"General Astrid, second in command to King Hiccup of Berk."

"Pleasure to meet you, as you can see the situation is dire. Think your troops will hold?"

"No doubt in mind."

"Good."

"Where do you need my men set up?"

"Divide your army in half and send each half to a bridge. Those bridges cannot fall."

"You got it."

Astrid turned to Heather to give her orders.

"Take your division and head north to the bridge. I want you to hold there, do not let anyone through."

"Yes ma'am."

Astrid turned back to the bridge she was at. The men thematic defended it looked warn out.

"How long have you held here Colonel..?"

"Colonel Albercik, my name is Albercik."

"How long have you and your men held here."

"Two days with very little relief."

Astrid felt sorry for the poor man. He's seen young men get torn apart for two days straight. The cannons behind her began to fire. The British and the Prussians were on their way.

Hiccup got off his horse right behind Astrid. He surveyed the scene, they were focusing on the south.


	10. Battle of Danzig Day 3 part 2

30,000 Troops were on their way to attack the bridge Hiccup was at. They emerged in battle formation, marching through the artillary strikes. Hiccup was concerned that his troops weren't enough to hold.

"Fire!"

The British fired a volley into the Berkian line. Astrid sucked down as some soldiers in front of her went down. Hiccup order for his troops to fire.

The Berkians stood up and fired their guns. Hundreads fell down from the sudden volley. Another round of Berkian cannon balls destroyed what still stood.

King William did not expect this professionalism from a bunch of Vikings. He order for his cannons to fire back at the Berkians. They unleashed a volley of 12 pound cannon balls.

Astrid picked a gun off the ground and began to fire. She saw her target go down. _'That's one'_ she thought. An expolision hit right in front of her, she went flying backwards. Her body hit the ground with a thud. Astrid tried to get up but her arms were in pain.

Hiccup rushed over to Astrid. She were obviously in pain.

"Astrid, are you ok?"

No response. He picked her up and rested her in his arms.

"I need a medic!"

A Berkian medic ran over to the king.

"Take her back to camp, she needs help."

"Yes sir!"

The medic grabbed Astrid and ran back to camp. It was up to Hiccup to lead the defense of the southern bridge.

The British and Prussians continued to attack the southern bridge. They had sent most of the army there to weaken defenses even more. King William led his troops valiantly as bullets and cannonballs rained from above.

General Rommel had the task of distracting the defenders in the north. He had 10,000 troops with him to break their lines. The Prussian cannons ripped holes in the defender's fortifications. It did not deter the Polish from defending the bridge.

The white eagle still flew over both bridges. Colonel Albercik held the center while the Berk held the bridges. His men have been fighting for 3 days straight now. A cannonball exploded right next to him, he stumbled but still stood. Some of his men didn't get so lucky as some were thrown back from the explosion.

General Rommel's men fired a volley onto the Berkian defenders holding the bridge. Many went down but they did not retreat. The Berkians responded with their own volley. Another hundred men fell down due to bullets and cannonballs.

King William continued to move aggressively towards the Berkian defenders in the south. The Union Jack was a threating sight as it waved in the wind. Thousands of redcoats making the attack sent shivers down the Polish troop's spines. The British artillery fired another volley once again, destroying what little defenses remained.

Down south King Jan was holding his ground. The Polish cannons unleashed their 12 lb ordinance on the Prussian and British defenders. The cannons were doing their best to hold back this horde of men. King Jan had fallen back to some hills overlooking the river crossing the Prussians had captured on the first day. Yes it allowed for the enemy to cross easily but they would have a hell of a time getting any further.

Fredrick was determined to achieve victory, he needed this territory to unify the kingdom. Only 30,000 Prussian had crossed down south, the rest was with Rommel up north. King William had sent 40,000 redcoats to aid Fredrick's attack in the south. The polish artillery was tearing gigantic holes into his lines. The regiments had very little time to reform the line before another cannonball exploded into the lines.

The Polish infantry with King Jan were some of the best. They were not ones to accept defeat, they would hold to the last man. The Prussians were now in range of the muskets, it was time to unleash a deadly volley.

The Polish muskets ripped apart the attackers. Those that were behind the ones that got shot had to step over tens of hundreds of bodies to continue moving. The Polish were now in range of the British muskets. The volley that came did damage but the polish still held. Another cannonball ripped a hole in the British lines.

"Go tell King William we are gonna retreat. I don't want to leave Danzig to the enemy but I rather still have an army then new land."

"Yes my lord."

King Fredrick ordered a retreat. If he stayed and fight the Polish would decimate his army, if he fled he would still have an army to fight them in his own land.

 _Wroc do Prus!_

 _Wroc do Prus!_

 _Wroc do Prus!_

"My lord they are retreating!"

"I can tell by the men's chants" King Jan replied.

Up north the Berkian's gave no ground. They had lost many but gave the British a hell of a time. Hiccup saw a British charge incoming, he had no time to act before they got to him. He drew the sword the Roman blacksmiths made for him and prepared for hand to hand combat.

The tide of redcoats came pouring over the Berkian defenses and the melee began. Hiccup dodged a bayonet and kicked the man who tried to stab him with his prosthetic. He stumbled backwards and had little time to react when the sharp blade made contact with his abdomen. Hiccup turned to his right to watch one of his men get jumped on. He rushed over to help the poor man. Hiccup used the sword and stabbed the British soldier who was on top of him.

"Thank you my lord.'

"Don't mention it."

An officer tried to go after Hiccup but he blocked the strike from his sword. Hiccup quickly drew his pistol and shot the officer, sending him flying backwards. Hiccup slashed at another soldier who was nearby. The man fell instantly when the sword made contact with his back. Hiccup was suddenly kicked to the ground with force. Hiccup looked up to see a Prussian officer, and general to be exact standing over him, sword drawn.

"It's over king, you've lost" he said.

"Not yet" Hiccup replied.

Hiccup took out a pocket knife and stabbed him the leg.

"Ahhh!"

The general stumbled backwards but remained on his feet. Hiccup got back up and drew his sword. The two blades clashed, sparks flew as both men tried to kill each other. Hiccup lost his footing and stumbled, the general tried to take advantage of this but missed as Hiccup stepped to the side. He brought up the sword from Rome and tried to strike the general but was blocked. Hiccup ducked underneath a stab and knocked the sword out of his hand. He then tripped the general so he was on top of him. Hiccup was about to kill him when a redcoat tried to attack him. He dodged the bayonet and stabbed the soldier, then he turned his attention to the general. He was gone, he fled when Hiccup fought the soldier. Hiccup sighed, he missed an opportunity to capture a general.

The British made a retreat, the battle was lost. King William was angered by the defeat but knew they could win on Prussian ground. Then he saw him, King Hiccup of Berk. His eyes narrowed at the sight of him, he was bested by a kid. General Forrest returned to him, he looked shaken but did not appear to have any wounds.

"I engaged the King my lord. He knows how to fight."

"How good was he?"

"Good my lord, if it wasn't for one of my men I wouldn't be standing here"


	11. Aftermath of Danzig

**To Answer a lot of concerns about the dragons not being involved, this chapter will fix that. This chapter takes place the next morning after the Prussians and British retreated in the last chapter. Enjoy!**

The Prussian and British armies retreated back to Berlin. The battle was over Poland held on to Danzig. It came at a terrible cost though. 12,057 Polish were dead, 34,567 wounded. Berk had 2,896 dead and 4,786 wounded.

King Jan was talking with Hiccup about the day's fight.

"It's a shame you couldn't get here sooner."

"I wish I could as well, it would've given the world a look at the might of my army."

"Indeed. That blade of yours, where did you get it?"

"The blacksmiths of Rome gave it to me as a coronation gift."

"Ah I see. I've heard people started to call you _Carolus Rex._ "

"Have they?"

"Yes, something about you being above everyone."

"I am shocked, never would I have thought people would think so highly of me."

An officer of the Polish army walked up to the king.

"My lord, I'm sorry. General Teabold has passed away."

King Jan sighed, his most trusted and best general was now on his way to god's kingdom.

"Very well, send his body back to Krakow. I want his coffin draped in our colors and a guard of hussars to bring him home."

"Yes my lord."

The officer left to give orders. Jan turned to Hiccup.

"War is a terrible thing, you can only pray and thank god when it is over."

"I agree. I didn't want to fight this war in the first place, it was passed on to me by my father."

"I understand Hiccup, I was forced to become king when Poland was at war as well."

Heather walked up to Hiccup with news.

"My lord, the medics said Astrid will be okay. Would you like to see her."

"Yes I would" Hiccup turned to Jan "I'm sorry but I must beg my leave."

"It's ok, from what I heard that Astrid of yours fights like a lion."

"That she does."

"Keep her close to you, you may never know when you'll be in need of a queen."

Jan laughed and walked away leaving Hiccup dumbfounded.

* * *

 _'Where am I'_ Astrid thought.

She looked around until her eyes rested on her Valkyries, fighting on what looks to be a river in the center of a city. She looked to her left and saw a white flag with yellow looking spear things on it.

 _'Who has that type of flag'_ she thought. Then she saw Hiccup, he looked a bit older then he did now. He had a bit of a beard and his hair had grown out. Not only that he looked a lot taller.

 _"Come on I'm not leaving until this city is captured. CHARGE!"_

Hiccup's scream was deafening but also hoarse. It sounded like he had been screaming all day. Gunshots rang in her ears, then cries.

 _"Carolus rex has been hit"_

 _"The king, he's dead!"_

 _'Who's Carolus rex'_ she thought.

Astrid felt something in her hand. She brought it up to her face, it was Hiccup's journal. It was opened to a page that had her hand writing on it. She read the words inscribed on the paper.

 _Broken dreams so grand,_

 _sing of his final stand,_

 _long live Carolus_

 _Brought by soldiers hand,_

 _back to the fatherland,_

 _long live Carolus Rex._

The words kept repeating in her mind. It was driving her insane. Astrid swore she could hear instruments playing, and some people, they were singing the words she wrote.

 _A soldier from Berk remembers the dead!_

She flipped a page back. There sat Hiccup's writing, he had written a song called 'Poltava'. Her eyes rested upon a verse:

 _French armies blocked our way_

 _20 000 lost that day_

 _They bled the ground_

 _Peace they found_

 _There's no sign of victory_

 _King Carolus had to flee_

 _And leave the land_

 _Leave command._

That same band started playing the tune. Her head began to hurt. Then her eyes rested on some Berkian soldiers carrying Hiccup on A stretcher.

"Astrid!" she heard.

"Astrid!"

"Astrid!"

* * *

"Astrid!" Hiccup yelled again, it was clear she was having a nightmare from all her tossing and turning. Astrid opened her eyes wide and sat up. She sat there gasping for breath until Hiccup's arms wrapped around her.

"It's ok, I'm here."

They sat there in each other's embrace for almost ten minutes until Astrid finally spoke.

"I saw something Hiccup."

Hiccup was concerned but motioned for Astrid to continue.

"I saw you fighting in a city, something happened and you were killed. The soldiers carried you back on a stretcher, you had a bullet hole in your head."

Astrid started to tear up, she couldn't bear seeing Hiccup like that. Hiccup saw this and comforted her.

"It's ok" he said bringing her hand up to his chest "I'm still here, I won't be dying for a long time."

A tear slide down her cheek. Hiccup brought up his handed and brushed it away.

"Gentlemen, please leave us alone. General Hofferson is distraught at the moment" he said addressing his two guards.

"Yes my lord."

The two walked out of the tent to get some rest.

"What happened, did we win?"

"Yes we did. King Jan wants to begin a campaign in Prussia. The goal will be to take Berlin by summer of next year."

"Seems like a long time don't it?"

"It does but the good news is that I'm allowing the dragons to be involved in the war."

"But didn't you say that the battlefield is no place for a dragon?"

"Yes but I see now that I'd be best to have them as a scouting unit or something. I want you to lead them, I feel like they'll do the best under you."

"Really?"

"Yes really."

Astrid smiled and relaxed, the thought of her girl back by her side replaced the sadness she had earlier with joy.

"When do we leave?"

"When we have all the dead buried and have enough wagons to help bring the wounded with us. The Dragons will meet us at the eastern border of West Prussia."

"And how long will it take to get the dead buried?"

"Jan said we should have the dead and wounded ready by November."

"Ok."

Astrid shut her eyes to get some needed rest. Hiccup smiled and left the tent to go meet up with King Jan. As he was leaving he bumped into Heather.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"How's Astrid?"

"She's fine now, said she had a nightmare about me dying."

"Who wouldn't you're like a god to these men."

Heather walked away to go check up on some wounded friends. Hiccup looked back at Astrid's tent. He couldn't imagine what went on inside her head but it was clear that it frightened her. Some troops walked by with a Berkian flag recovered from the field. It had holes in it from musket shots going through the thin cloth. His eyes rested on the dragon in the middle of the banner. _'Soon bud, soon we'll see each other again'_ he thought. Hiccup continued to walk trying to find Jan to plan the upcoming campaign in Prussia.


	12. Casualties of war

**So this is a good place to switch pace. This is the first of many casualties of war chapters. This will explain who lost who and so on. It also allows me to make characters as i go**

Prussia: Deaths: 14,983

Wounded: 30,256

Missing: 1,785

Notable losses: General Bismark (Wounded)

General Hans (Dead)

Colonel Carsten (Dead)

Colonel Adolf (Wounded)

Poland: Deaths: 12,057

Wounded: 34,567

Notable Losses: General Teabold (Dead)

Berk/Vikings: Deaths: 7,738

Wounded: 12,038

Missing: 789

Britain: Deaths: 7,938

Wounded: 18,746

Missing: 2,837

Notable Losses: Colonel Wyatt (MIA)

 **Short Chapter yes but it divides the story for now. Tomorrow, The Berlin Campaign Begins.**


	13. Surrounding Berlin

_Two weeks later, Krakow Poland._

King Jan and Hiccup went with the hussars that were escorting General Teabold's coffin back to his home town of Krakow. It was covered by a Polish banner, the white eagle was taking him up to god's kingdom. The burial was quick as the two kings had to make their way back to the army who were on their way to rendezvous point with the Berkian reinforcements in northwestern Poland.

"You fought well my friend, we'll see each other soon" Jan said.

The two kings made the sign of the cross with their hands and walked to their horses.

 _Szczecin One week later..._

The two kings reunited with the army who had halted at Szczecin to wait for the Berkian troops. They arrived late that night with almost 5,000 fresh troops and 367 dragons. It was not as many as Hiccup wanted but it was still enough to make do. The plan was simply, occupy the surrounding towns and villages to cut off Berlin from supplies. Then the siege would begin. If everything went as planned Berlin would fall before the year ended. The army had two months before the year ended.

Berk was left in the hands of Fishlegs while Snotlout, Tuffnut, and Ruffnut joined the campaign. So there they were, 5 of the 6 dragon riders siting around the camp with their dragons at their sides.

"The dragons will be helpful with scouting and getting rid of some pesky cav" Hiccup said.

"Yeah, the dragons will also provide some moral boosters, isn't that right girl" Astrid replied.

The army itself was in high spirits. Soldiers were drinking, dancing, telling stories, and just relaxing.

"Look at this" Hiccup said. "These man here will be the ones to bring us victory at Berlin."

"Once Berlin falls, where do we go next?" Astrid asked.

"We head for Britain, we'll beat them on their turf and end the fighting on the sea. Then we march on Paris."

"Hiccup you do know we would have to build hundreds of more ships to not only land the troops but fight off the British navy. I don't think Legs has enough room to store that many ships." Snotlout said looking sternly at Hiccup.

"I know, which is why we need Berlin to fall, we capture the city, we capture miles upon miles of valuable land to build and house ships" Hiccup responded.

Hiccup looked up to the sky, the moon shown brightly. It was late and it was a long march to Berlin.

"Alright, I'm gonna get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

He got up and headed to his tent flanked by two of his guards.

"His security is tight for some reason, do you know why babe?" Snotlout asked.

"First I'm not your babe, second they're worried at him being in foreign land. They don't him to get assassinated while on this campaign."

 _Gramzow, Prussia 31 miles southwest_

The moral of two armies was low. King William and King Fredrick were trying to find good defensive ground before they reached Berlin.

"King William" Fredrick said. "It's best you get your troops out of here, they'll surround Berlin. When they do the army will be surrounded, I'd rather have my army surrounded then both our armies."

William sat there in silence smoking a cigar. He knew Frederick was right, they were outnumbered and had no good defensive ground between them and Berlin. If they were to hold, it'd be a pitched battle in a open field with little cover. Frederick began to pull something from his coat. It was a letter addressed to king Louis the 14th of France.

"Deliver that to him, let him now Berlin has fallen."

"I will friend."

"Thank you."

Night turned into morning and the British army bade their farewell. Frederick stood in front of William.

"Good luck my friend, I'll make sure Berlin won't fall easily."

"I wish you luck as well, god knows what they'll do to you if the city does fall."

The two men gave each other a firm handshake and William walked away. The Prussian army now stood alone. 50,000 versus a combined force of almost 200,000 men.

"General Rommel, we march south. We must hold Berlin at all costs."

"Yes my lord. I'll get the troops moving right away."

 _One week later... Berkian army._

The campaign was off to a wonderful start, multiple towns and villages had fallen to the Berkians. No looting place as well, order of the king himself. Looting was punishable by lashes on the back. They were about 10 Miles north of Berlin and the Prussian army still did not attack. Hiccup brushed it off as the Prussians trying to conserve what supplies they had for when the siege began.

Astrid had her dragon riders were a huge help with the encirclement. Sometimes the army would reach a town and the Berkian banner would already be waving in the village's square. As a bit of an insult towards the Prussians, Hiccup named this style of warfare blitzkrieg, lighting warfare. When Hiccup had the time, him and toothless would go a night flight to relax nerves. He could tell the dragon had missed going on flights with him and Hiccup felt the same. There was something about being in the sky on the back of a dragon that made you forget everything. Hiccup took the time to write a new song in his journal.

 _Attero!_

 _Dominatus!_

 _Berlin is burning_

 _Denique!_

 _Interimo!_

 _The Reich has fallen!_

 _We stand at the gates of Berlin_

 _With two and a half hundred thousand men_

 _With six hundred dragons in our ranks_

 _Use them as battering rams_

 _Artillery leading our way_

 _A million shells has been launched_

 _The Prussians must pay for their crimes_

 _The wings of the eagle has been broken_

 _Jan Sobieski's orders:_

 _"Serve me Berlin on a plate!"_

 _Disregard the losses_

 _The city is ours to take_

 _Attero!_

 _Dominatus!_

 _Berlin is burning_

 _Denique!_

 _Interimo!_

 _The Reich has fallen!_

 _The price of a war must be payed_

 _Hundreds of lives has been lost_

 _The price must be paid by the men_

 _That started the war in the 80's_

 _The spring of the year '90_

 _The year when the Prussians will fall_

 _We're inside the gates of Berlin_

 _The beak of the eagle is broken_

 _King Carolus's orders:_

 _"Serve me it's head on a plate"_

 _Disregard the losses_

 _The eagle's land is ours to take_

 _Attero!_

 _Dominatus!_

 _Berlin is burning_

 _Denique!_

 _Interimo!_

 _The Reich has fallen!_

 _March!_

 _Fight!_

 _Die!_

 _In Berlin!_

 _March!_

 _Fight!_

 _Conquer!_

 _Berlin!_

 _Attero!_

 _Dominatus!_

 _Berlin is burning_

 _Denique!_

 _Interimo!_

 _The Reich has fallen!_

 _Attero!_

 _Dominatus!_

 _Berlin is burning_

 _Denique!_

 _Interimo!_

 _The Reich has fallen!_

 _Attero!_

 **Sorry for not uploading in a while, finals making me work more then I wanted to. Well here you go, next chapter will be out by next week and normal uploading schedule will continue from there. -Dilloncoll**


	14. The Siege of Berlin

_Berlin Prussia, December 24 1689. Berkian Camp..._

The siege entered its second month the next time, Christmas Day. Hiccup knew there would be drinking that night which is why he orders for the men only to have a few drinks. He didn't need a drunken army for the next few days. For the once pagan Berkians this holiday felt foreign to them.

Astrid was sitting at the campfire enjoying herself, talking and drinking with her soldiers. The other riders also joined in the fun, drinking and talking. The few true Christian soldiers in the army told the young Vikings about the holidays traditions. That was why Astrid was hiding two boxes, one was holding a new notebook for Hiccup. The other held a loot for Hiccup as well, knowing that he'd like the intrument. The notebook she bought from a polish soldier, the loot was hand crafted by a berkian soldier.

Hiccup was under constant watch by his guards and his over protective lizard. Back in November a Prussian spy had attempted to take Hiccup's life.

 _Berkian camp November 23..._

 _Hiccup was doing an inspection of all hic gun crews making sure they were firing correctly. He was flanked by his two guards and his dragon. Astrid was also nearby watching as he looked at the soldiers._

 _The soldier next to Astrid pulled out a pistol and aimed for Hiccup. Astrid saw this and tried to knock the pistol out of his hand. The gun fired and the bullet hit Hiccup's metal foot. The assassin tried make a break for it but was quickly stopped by Astrid._

Ever since then his protection was increased, now six royal guards flanked him at all times. Nonetheless Hiccup still found time to have fun. After going on a quick ride on Toothless he joined his most trusted advisors at the campfire.

"Berlin is gonna fall any day now" Hiccup said.

"You wish, I give them another two weeks, three at most" Astrid responded.

"Oh how the mighty Carolus Rex can't get Berlin to bow to him" Snotlout mocked.

"Snotlout shut you're f***ing mouth up before I knock the living crap out of you."

"Does Carolus Rex have a challenger to the throne" Astrid said while laughing.

Hiccup smirked and took his a sip of his drink.

"The only challenger to the Berkian throne is currently sleeping with king Carolus."

The men laughed as Astrid turned beat red. Just then a rider rode up to the campfire.

"I'm looking for King Hiccup the 1st"

"You found him" he replied.

"I'm Gustav de la Plate royal advisor of the kingdom of Sweden."

"Well what can I do for mr. Plate."

"The king of Sweden just passed away without an heir. Which has left us with no king."

"I am so sorry, old age?"

"No, assassination. He was only 46. The king had a little sister who had married the chief of a Viking tribe. Which is why I went there to find her but found out she was dead as well."

"Well that is all upsetting but what does that have to do with me?"

"King Hiccup, not only are you king of Berk, you are the king of Sweden."

Hiccup's eyes widened at the revelation. He was king of Sweden. This gave Astrid the perfect opportunity to crack a joke.

"Merry Christmas!"

The men began to laugh, Hiccup couldn't help but crack a smile.

"My lord my people are ready for war. You can have another 30,000 troops if you want tgem."

"How long will it take them to get here?"

"Not long, it's just a quick sail from Stockholm and a weeks march to Berlin. I'm gonna day about 3 weeks."

"Then tell them to get here as soon as possible."

"Will do."

Gustav got on his horse and rode away. Hiccup focused on the group of people at the fire. Astrid pulled out the boxes that were for the king.

"What's this?"

"Gifts from me and the men. We all pitched in, open them" Astrid replied.

Hiccup took the small box first. In it was a leather notebook and some ink with a quill.

"Thanks guys I didn't really need a notebook but thank you anyway."

Hiccup took the next box from Astrid. In it was a loot, hand crafted with some writing on the side.

 _Long live the king_.

Hiccup smiled a nice gift to close out the night.

"You know what, let me sing a song to break it in. This one is Called Carolus Rex."

Hiccup began to strum. His soothing voice filled the air soon after.

 _All embrace me_

 _It's my time to rule at last_

 _15 years have I been waiting to sit upon my throne._

The same beat he played earlier was heard again. The same 3 strums at different pitches.

 _No allegiance_

 _I will swear no oath_

 _Crowned by god, not by the church as my power is Devine._

All of a sudden started he started picking up his pace.

 _They thought I was too young to rule the land_

 _Just as they fail to understand_

 _Born to rule_

 _My time is now!_

Astrid thought this was a good time to chime in after seeing the song on paper before.

 _I was chosen by heaven_

 _Say my name when you pray_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

 _With the lord my protector_

 _Make then bow to my will_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

Hiccup returned to the simple three strum melody from before. Astrid took the lead while he continued to strum.

 _Proved in Battle_

 _Led my men to victory_

 _No man alive or dead commands me_

 _I answer to the lord._

 _Hear my orders_

 _Question me and die_

 _What I say was said in heaven_

 _And so it shall be done._

Hiccup chimed in now.

 _I know I was destined to rule alone_

 _All for myself I claim the throne_

 _Born to rule!_

 _My time is now!_

They both were now singing.

 _I was chosen by heaven_

 _Say my name when you pray_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

 _With the lord my protector_

 _Make them bow to my will_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

The song switched pace the final chorus was coming.

 _All that's thine_

 _Shall be mine_

 _There is no stopping me!_

 _All over Europe my rule shall be questioned by none!_

 _All I see_

 _Give to me_

 _That is my decree!_

 _My will be done!_

Hiccup went on a solo. The sound of the loot filled the air around the camp.

 _They thought I was too young to rule the land_

 _Just as they failed to understand_

 _Born to rule!_

 _My time is now!_

There was a pause brief but it set up the final chorus.

 _I was chosen by heaven_

 _Say my name when you pray_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

 _To the skies!_

 _With the lord my protector_

 _Make them bow to my will_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

 _To the skies_

 _See Carolus rise!_

The men began to cheer, the song was good and the two young Vikings brought it to life.

 _Berlin Prussian camp._

Christmas eve was not filled with much joy in Berlin. Two months of siege had taken a toll on the once beautiful city. Houses were destroyed, rubble on the streets, destroyed businesses, and fallen statues.

To top if all off the army was running out of food and fresh water. Soldiers were deserting every day, this caused the army to shrink to only 25,000, almost a 1/4 their size at the start of the campaign. King Fredrick knew the situation was dire, he had two options hold longer and force the Berkians to fight in the streets or surrender while he still had an army.

Riots were another problem. The people of Berlin were angry at the current situation. They also had very little food and fresh water. The people were willing to surrender if it meant that they would get needed supplies to survive the winter. The King's orders however forbade the people from surrendering.

Frederick stood in his throne room, looking out the window overlooking the city. The city was destroyed, it would take months to repair all the damage.

"General Rommel, we must break this siege. The army and the people are starving."

"I understand my lord, we won't have enough troops though. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless we convince some of the people to fight. We have enough guns to supply 30,000 people. We also need people on the cannons, I'm sure the veterans will show them how to load and fire."

"That just might work. General Rommel try and convince the people, we must break through, it's now or never!"

"It'll take three weeks to train the people."

"How much food and water do we have."

"Enough for another month."

"Good. I want you to attack north of here, they'll be weak there and it will allow for you to get to our ports. From there you will escape to England."

"What about you my lord? Won't you be coming with us?"

"Someone must defend the city. The King's guard and the garrison will stay here, I'll arm every man, woman, and child if I have to."

"Very well my lord. Should I take the wounded with me as well?"

"No leave them here, they'll slow you down. I'm sure if I lose the enemy will take care of the wounded."

"Yes my lord."

 _Berkian camp_

The troops were still in high spirt. Hiccup had sung another song, it was about the failed Viking invasion of Scotland. The day turned, it was now Christmas Day. An order was rushed up and down the line ordering the cannon crews to get in position. 100 cannons lined the trees that the army camped in.

"Let's give them F***ing Prussians some iron. Merry f***king Christmas king Fredrick! Fire" Hiccup slurred.

The cannons opened fire, lighting up the tree line with bright flashes in the pitch black. Explosion after explosion rocked the decimated city. Wagons blew up, bricks and wood flew everywhere, and bodies went flying. A cannon ball ripped through a church steeple, it wasn't long before it came crashing down.

Soldiers took cover in alleyways and under destroyed buildings. The palace was hit as well, a marble column had a hole on its one side. Makeshift defenses were destroyed causing men to go flying.

Fires began to break out as wooden buildings were hit. Some people were unfortunate as they were killed in their sleep. Hiccup's song had come true, Berlin was burning.

 **The battle of berlin is coming, the Prussians last attempt to break through the siege. This chapter was a bit more light hearted but Hiccup changed the mood real quick. Hope you enjoy next chapter is coming soon. -Dilloncoll**


	15. Rommel's Charge

**If anyone has seen the movie Gettysburg, you'll know this scene.**

 _Berlin 3 weeks later_

The Prussian army was ready to attack. They had 50,000 troops at their disposal, half of which were men from Berlin. Those that chose to stay behind would defend the city with the king. During the previous night the cannons were moved into position, north of the city. General Rommel was gonna bombard the attackers from the north with everything he had. Then he'll send in the troops to through back the Berkians.

The Prussians didn't know it at the time but the Swedish troops had arrived last night. With them they brought 150 cannons made from the highest quality iron. Hiccup saw the attack coming, which was why durning the night he had Astrid and her dragon riders move the artillery and its crews to the north.

A mist lay on the the battlefield, the Prussians couldn't see the enemy. Cannons were lined up by the hundreds. General Rommel rode up to his generals who stood by a fence post, they were waiting for their orders.

"Gentelman, today is the day we break the siege. We only have one chance, if we fail Berlin will be forced to surrender."

"General Rommel our men are ready, your orders" General Bismark asked.

"We will besiege them with iron for an hour or more. After the cannons destroy their defenses the infantry will attack. Generals Bismark and Carsten will take the forward brigades. I'll lead the reserve brigades. All in all we will have over 40,000 men making this charge."

The men looked out into the field this was their last chance.

 _Berkian lines_

It was a quiet morning, just a few shots fired at Pickett lines. Astrid was in charge of defending the north with Hiccup. She took her free time in the morning to look inspect the Swedish troops. They wore bright blue uniforms with tan underclothes. The officers wore a yellow sash to signify they were officers.

Once she was done looking at the troops, Astrid walked over to the general's cook.

"Miss Hofferson, how are you this fine morning?"

"I'm fine Gobber thank you for asking."

"What can I get for you lass?"

"Two plates of whatever you made, two cups, and a pot of coffee."

"On it's way, I'll have one of the boys to you and Hiccup."

"How'd you know the other stuff was for him?"

"Cause I know lass, enjoy your breakfast."

"Thank you."

Hiccup was sitting by a wagon, his eyes were fixed on the city that lay Two miles from his position. Astrid walked up to him with a plate and a cup.

"Thank you."

Hiccup began eating the meat that was on his plate. He took a sip of the coffee then he put the stuff down. Hiccup took out his telescope to view the battlefield. From what he saw, the enemy was planning something.

"What do you see?"

"They are up to something. I don't know what though. Did you take a look at the new troops?"

"I did, they look good. Their most elite units are called the Caroleans. They are the equivalent of our king's guard."

"Good."

He put down the telescope and looked at the ground. The war had once again started to take a toll on the young king. Astrid took a bite of the piece of bread Gobber gave her. She watched as Hiccup got up and walked over to the nearby stonewall.

"This stone wall, it'll be the deciding factor in the fight."

"How do you know?"

"I just do Astrid."

A soft rumble was heard. Hiccup looked up at the sky, it was clear as day. Just then an explosion rocked the ground near them. The two young warriors hit the ground as more explosions came.

Some of the dragons were frightened at the sudden bombardment and took to the sky. Some men who were standing near a cannon were sent flying as a shell hit nearby. Men were rushing around to get to cover. The Swedish troops however showed no fear, they just stood in position.

The Prussian cannons were not letting up. Once the cannon had fired the crews would be loading it. Almost 200 cannons were firing nonstop. General Rommel was pleased at the crews ability to firing the cannons rapidly.

Hiccup looked up at Astrid who had her head down. A shell hit nearby which had sent dirt flying on top of them.

"Astrid!"

"What!?"

"Let's go, we need better cover."

They stood up and began to run to a divot near the stonewall. Another explosion rocked the ground, the two of them stumbled but kept running. A second cannon ball hit the ground and sent them flying. Hiccup landed in his back and Astrid landed in her side.

"We made it! Are you ok?"

Astrid screamed out in pain. Hiccup looked over her body, he didn't see anything at first until he saw her right leg. The cannon ball had ripped off her right foot, a wound almost similar to his. Hiccup couldn't imagine the pain she was in, when he lost his leg he was unconscious.

"Medic!"

A few medics ran over to him with a stretcher. They got her on the stretcher and ran back to camp. Hiccup stood back up and walked over to toothless who was hiding behind a wagon.

"Come on bud, let's show the men not to be afraid."

He got on the blacks dragon's back but didn't take to the sky. The dragon just trotted in the grassy area between the wall and the cannons. A soldier ran up to him concerned for the king's life.

"My lord please get down from your dragon, you'll get yourself killed"

"My life does not matter, only the lives of these brave soldiers matter."

The Berkian cannon crews finally got the cannons ready and began to fire back. The two sides were now dueling with the iron guns. Explosion after explosion ripped apart the ground.

Rommel had taken cover as Berkian shells hit near where he was standing. The cannon crew in front of him was throne back as a shell hit them. To his right a cannon was destroyed.

 _One hour later..._

The Berkian cannons had stopped firing. The damage was done, they were silenced. General Rommel had watched his own crews get killed during the fight but their sacrifice won't be in vain.

Smoke still lingered on the battlefield, the Berkians were still in position, cannons waiting for the Prussians. Hiccup had ordered for the guns to go silent, a trick to make the enemy think the cannons were destroyed.

Hiccup stood on the wall watching the city for movement. His face was dirty from lying on the ground. He turned back to his army, men were rushing to get behind the stonewall.

From the destroyed city emerged Rommel's troops. Regiments had lined up behind the cannons waiting for the order to attack. General Bismark had to ride a horse, the wound at Danzig had paralyzed his right leg. General Carsten was also on horseback but only to get from line to line quickly. Rommel decided to walk with the troops.

Rommel sighed as he looked out on the field. Something didn't feel right, he had to avoid such thoughts. General Carsten rode up to him, he drew his sword and gave Rommel a salute. Rommel responded with the same salute with his sword.

"Men of Berlin, today you will make this charge for your wives, for children, for sweethearts. Today is the day you are from old Brandenburg!"

The soldiers gave out a rousing cheer as a response to the speech.

"Prussians, forward!"

"Orders!" The troops replied.

"March!"

The drums of war beat and the troops began to march. The tide of dark blue coats could be seen for miles. Their cannons fired one more volley to make sure the enemy cannons were silenced.

The shells hit the berkian lines once again. The men were in cover so the damage was little. Hiccup stood once again and took out his telescope. He turned to one of his officers.

"You see that barn out there, the red one?"

"I do my lord."

"Do not fire the guns until they reach that barn."

"Yes sir."

General Rommel and his troops were making good progress. The troops had not broken formation yet and they were almost a halfway to there destination. That's when General Bismark's men walked past a red barn.

Hiccup saw that and turned to the colonel of his artillery.

"Fire."

"Fire!"

The cannons came to life once again, unleashing the iron balls upon their foes.

The shells destroyed the lines of troops marching. Rommel was shocked, he thought he silenced the enemy guns. They must continue, they must break the defenses of the Berkians.

Explosions ripped apart the Prussian lines. Men flew back by the dozens as the cannon balsa hit them. General Bismark saw a fence line in front of him.

"Private, go warn General Rommel about the fence."

The soldier rode off to go find General Rommel. As he was riding a cannon ball destroyed a line of troops nearby. General Carsten was well aware of the fence in front of him.

"Double quick" he yelled.

His troops broke into a sprint, trying to get to the fence. The rider found General Rommel who kept a stern face as nearby troops were killed.

"General Rommel! There is a fence line in front of us."

"Ok just keep moving don't stop!"

He rode off to tell Bismark what Rommel said. The soldiers under Carsten reached the fence, some unfortunate souls were hit before they could reach it. The men threw their guns over the fence and began to climb it.

Hiccup and his troops were still waiting. His guns were doing all they could to stop the Prussians.

"Colonel, tell the cannons to switch to canister once they get over that second fence."

"Yes sir!"

Once the first wave of troops got over the first fence they threw their guns over the second fence. As some troops were still climbing a cannon ball destroyed a portion of the fence. That sent the men crashing to the ground.

General Bismark was over the second fence. He saw no infantry just cannons.

"Come on boys we are almost there" he yelled.

The troops were over the second fence. They began to march towards the stone wall, victory was in reach.

Hiccup stood up, sword drawn.

"Let them have it boys!"

The Berkian troops stood up and gave a thunderous volley. The Prussians fell by the hundreds as they continued to charge. Smoke blocked the Berkians from sight but the flashes from their guns lit the way.

The Prussians continued to charge even though their lines were thinning. The canister shots were doing even more damage as upwards of 12 men were getting hit at once. General Bismark saw an opening by one of the cannons.

"Follow me boys, victory is in reach!"

General Bismark rushed his horse as they were getting closer. As he was riding a cannon crewman ran over to the vacant gun. Praying it was loaded he pulled the string. Smoke surrounded the area, and out from the smoke came a horse without a rider.

The fighting continued but 1 general was gone, only two remained. General Carsten was trying to direct his troops forward when he was hit in the stomach.

"General are you ok" asked his aide.

The aide was also hit causing both men to fall of their horses. Some Prussian troops made it to the stone wall but were quickly stopped. Bodies were pilling up between the fence and the stonewall.

General Rommel finally made it to the fences, jumping over the first one and stopping at the second. He looked towards the wall and watched as a riderless horse trotted by.

"Come on boys, victory is right across the field" he yelled.

Rommel jumped over the second fence and tried to rally the troops who were running. He looked at the men at the fence, they were emotionless. He looked down and saw a young boy, no more then 14, hiding behind the fence.

"Come on boy, wait until you think about this tomorrow."

He stood up to look at his troops.

"Prussians, Prussians" he yelled. Rommel took off his hat and stuck it on his sword. "With me, who will come with me!"

"Let's go boys" yelled a colonel but he was shot before he could jump off the fence.

The troops tried their best to get moving but it was hard stepping over your fallen comrades. More canister shots ripped apart the lines of Prussian troops but they still kept moving.

The Swedish troops had not fired a single shot yet. They were waiting for the Berkian troops to fallback. The Swedish cannons were doing their job, destroying waves of troops before they could get to the wall.

Rommel was almost to the wall. He could see the dark red coats of Berkian troops. Rommel glanced over his shoulder, his troops were thinning out. With a sigh Rommel continued to run for the stone wall.

Some soldiers tried to go after a cannon but were quickly cut down by its blast. The Berkians saw their enemy was getting too close. Hiccup took out his pistol and fired a shot, killing the soldier in front of him.

"Fallback!"

The defenders fired their last shots and ran away from the wall. The Prussians were pouring over the wall, the tide of dark blue was here. Rommel stood on the wall as his men began to shoot the running troops.

"The day is ours men, turn their cannons on them, turn the cannons, turn the cannons around!"

Rommel jumped down and ran to a nearby gun.

"Turn this cannon around!"

The Berkians stopped running and hit the ground. The Swedish fired a volley and charged into the fray. The Swedish yellow cross was up against the black eagle. The brutal melee combat began as men threw their bodies at each other.

Hiccup got up and rallied his men. They loaded their guns and prepared to shoot.

"Fire!"

The volley did its damage as hundreds of Prussians fell. Hiccup and the soldiers charged in to help fight back the Prussians. He cut open the soldier in front of him and drew his pistol. Hiccup fired blindly into the mass of bodies.

General Rommel was giving his men orders, they still had a chance. Just then a bullet entered his left shoulder. He fell back and caught himself on the nearby cannon. Rommel looked at his shoulder, it was bleeding heavily.

The caroleans charged into the fight, joining in the melee. Prussian soldiers were beginning to surrender, others began to run. The Berkians held strong as some Prussians tried to shoot them.

Some Berkians made it back to the stonewall and began to shoot at the retreating troops. Others shot into the flanks of the attackers.

King Fredrick put down his telescope, he had seen the whole fight. Fredrick sighed and went to his desk. The attack was a disaster, he lost almost the entire force.

The majority of the troops who had crossed the wall surrendered, some had to be put down because they wouldn't stop fighting. Those who had just made it to the wall quickly surrendered.

General Carsten was in pain, his men tried to bring him back to their lines but were shot before they could move. Then the enemy carried him away.

Hiccup was talking to one of the Swedish officers about the day's fight.

"You're men did good."

"So did yours, your highness."

"Well it's been a pleasure meeting you Gustav. Now I must go see how a friend of mine is doing."

"Very well, can't wait for our upcoming campaigns sir."

Hiccup smiled and got on his dragon. Gustav turned back to his troops pilling dead bodies on top of each other. Then a soldier walked up to him.

"Where is the king sir?"

"He went to go take care of some business, why?"

"We have captured a Prussian officer. He is wounded and would like to see the king."

"Take me to this officer so I can speak with him in place of the king."

"Yes sir."

The two of them walked towards some of the cannons. As they walked they had to stop and watch their step as they had to walk over mountains of bodies.

Rommel was breathing heavy. Two men stood next him, one of which was holding a cloth to his shoulder. He looked up and saw a man in a officers uniform with the man he had asked to fetch the Berkian king.

"You... must.. be... the... king... of berk" Rommel said gasping for air.

"No I am not. The king had to take care of some personal matters."

Rommel didn't say anything, he just stared off into space breathing heavily.

"Sir what is your name, so I can tell my king to see to you."

"Rommel... Aaron Rommel... and you are?"

"Gustav, Gustav von Malmo."

"Any correlation... to... Gustavus... Adolphus."

"No, well not by blood. My aunt was married to him."

Rommel smiled, recounting the stories of his childhood about the lion of the north.

"Get him to the hospital. He needs treatment now."

"Yes sir."

 _Berkian Surgeon Camp_

Hiccup landed by the camp and walked in. Bodies were lying everywhere, limbs being thrown into a cart, and the dead being thrown into a pit. He entered the tent. His eyes landed on Astrid.

"She's drugged sir."

"How is she? Will she be able to lead again?"

"She'll be fine sir, just give her a few weeks."

Hiccup pulled up a chair and sat down. Astrid was asleep, her face was emotionless. Hiccup looked at her leg, it was bandaged but it was obvious the surgeons had to cut off more leg. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

 **This is the second time Astrid has gotten hurt in battle. Eh she'll live - Dilloncoll.**


	16. The Prague Campaign: Battle of Dresden

The smoke and dust cleared revealing the horrors of the previous day's battle. The Prussian army was truly shattered, 15 of the army's 20 high command officers were either dead, missing or wounded. Over 7,000 men had gone missing, 14,628 were wounded, and 6,462 were dead. General Rommel was of the captured souls, he had been hit when he crossed the stone wall. He now rested in a Berkian field hospital. His mind was everywhere and it was putting his loyalty to the king in question.

Hiccup was also at the hospital, talking with his wounded and treating them as good friends. When he looked up he saw one of the Prussian he had captured.

"Surgeon."

"Yes my lord?"

"Who is that over there" Hiccup asked pointing at the man in question.

"Some Prussian officer that was brought in"."

Hiccup had heard enough and made his way over. He was a young man, no more than 25 years old. His ears were filled with the sound of him moaning in pain. Hiccup could only feel sorry for the poor man.

"My friend, what is your name?"

The wounded man opened his eyes and looked at the young king. His eyes were filled with the look of pain and grief.

"My name is not of your concern" he responded.

"Why is it not of my concern, I just want to know the poor soldier who got captured so I can send him home."

"I'm Aaron Rommel, commanding officer of the 2nd division. I'm one of the king's top military advisors."

"Pretty high up aren't we, such a shame you were hit."

"I told you my name, what is yours?"

Hiccup extended out his hand and the general met him halfway.

"My name is Hiccup Haddock the First, King of Berk and Sweden."

"You are the king of Berk? You look a lot different then what I imagined you to look like. Also king of Sweden, how did that come to be?"

"The king of Sweden had an heir at one point, my mother, but she died when I was young so since I was the descendant of my mother, it made me heir to the throne."

"interesting, so sorry for your loss, we may be enemies but we are all human."

"Indeed, now if excuse me I must beg my leave. Nice meeting you Mr. Rommel."

"You as well your highness."

Hiccup left the general's side and walked out of the medical tent. He kept his head high as he walked around the wounded troops. Hiccup looked to his right and saw a surgeon dump a bucket filled with arms and legs into a wagon. He looked away in a hurry.

Several officers were waiting for the king outside the medical camp. They had received word from the air cavalry who had been scouting the surrounding area. The riders had come back with urgent news the king needed to hear.

"Ah, gentlemen good to see you are all well."

"You as well my lord" one of the men responded.

"General the riders have come back with news that you should hear."

"What is it, marshall Gustav?"

"The riders spotted an army in Dresden. It is still mustering but I fear they are gathering strength so they can relieve Berlin."

Hiccup only nodded as he began to make his way to the center of the camp.

"The kingdom of Bohemia has just announced they are entering the war on the side of Prussia. The Bohemians have a large army, I fear they will link up with this Saxon army as they march for Berlin. Sir, I think we should march out and meet them. Once we beat them we could march on Prague and force them out of the war."

"I agree, now what we are gonna do is that we are gonna leave behind enough men to prevent the Prussians from breaking out. This should be roughly about 20% of the army. I will lead the army south and march on Dresden. From there we fight any army that is blocking our way to Prague. Finally, we take the city and force the Bohemians out of the war. Any objections?"

The men stayed quiet.

"Good, get the men ready. We march for Prague."

"Yes, sir!"

The men dispersed and began to get their troops ready for a march. Hiccup made his way to Astrid's tent, wanting to check up on her before he left. She was in a coma, still recovering from losing her leg in yesterday's battle.

Hiccup entered the tent cautiously making sure he wouldn't be disturbing the doctors. Astrid was on her bed still asleep, her leg was bandaged up with a notable blood stain, but nothing too large.

"We were able to stop most of the bleeding. She'll make a full recovery."

"That's good, I want to her to be fitted with a prosthetic like mine. That way she can still fight."

"Yes my lord."

Hiccup took one last glance at Astrid before he left to go get his uniform on.

One Hour Later…

The troops were being assembled in marching formations. Leading the Colum was the honor guard and the king's guard, two of Berk's elite regiments. In front of them was the king himself ready to lead his men forward.

"You ready my lord" asked Gustav.

"Yes, forward to glory my friend" Hiccup said.

"Men of Berk, men of Sweden, Forward!"

"Orders!"

"March!"

The drums of war began to beat as the army began to make their way towards Prague.

One Week later…

The town of Dresden was a good sized town, large enough to host an army at least. Only 20,000 men were currently stationed there as they waited for reinforcements from the rest of Saxony and Bohemia who had just joined the war on their side. Once the armies converged they would march for Berlin.

The Saxons were not in a defensive formation, most men were sitting around a campfire eating their breakfast. General Rupert, the commander of the small army was trimming his beardTheir guns were in their triangle formation and the cannon were lined in rows, waiting to be limbered to horses.

Through the trees, three regiments of Caroleans were ready and in battle formation. Leading them was General Rehnskiöld, one fo the generals who had arrived with the Swedish army. He was a highly decorated man and a brilliant strategist. His caroleans were some of the best in the army, and he was sure that his men would impress the king.

"Men, Bayonets at the ready" he whispered.

Caroleans quickly fixed their bayonets on their guns and readied themselves.

"Charge!"

The men began to sprint through the tree line making a b-line for the Saxon camp.

Frozen ground, Ride like the wind

Emerge from gunsmoke like demons

Rehnskiöld men, charging their flanks

The troops emerged from the trees still unnoticed, Rehnskiöld was following behind them on his horse. A few Saxons soldiers hear running and look up to see what was going on. To their horror, they see a wave of blue coming towards them at a rapid rate. Frightened they begin to yell for their comrades.

The enemy trembles with fear

One by one the Saxons disband

Or die where they stand

Some of the Saxon soldiers lose their heart immediately, others grab their guns and begin to line up. Some of the artillerymen run to the cannons and try to get them to a firing position. The caroleans make it to the edge of the camp and don't stop running. A line of Saxon jagers fire a volley but do little damage. The caroleans reach them and began to engage the Saxon troops in melee combat.

Word spread quickly of the attack and the troops began to get ready for combat. Most didn't have their uniforms on but still rushed to get ready for a might. Meanwhile, the jagers had been captured by the caroleans and were being brought back to Berkian lines.

The Berkian army was moving swiftly towards the rest of the Saxon camp. The element of surprise had been lost but the damage had been done, the Saxons were caught off guard. Hiccup watched the battle from a nearby hill overlooking the camp. His cannon was not set up yet but that didn't matter at the moment. His honor guard was ordered to march into the fray and attack the disorganized troops.

The caroleans saw a regiment of line infantry getting ready to fire at them. They halted and waited for their colonel to give them orders.

"Ready, Aim!"

The men presented their guns towards the Saxon infantry.

"Fire!"

The caroleans fired the guns and were blanketed by a wall of smoke. The Saxon line infantry fell by the dozens, however, they fired back at an enemy they couldn't see. The caroleans emerged from the smoke and charged at the Saxons.

The honor guard arrived at the front lines and marched straight for the Saxon cannon, which was starting to get in a firing position. The honor guard charged forward and captured the guns with no resistance. Any Saxon defenses left were being destroyed or captured.

General Rupert couldn't hold the lines anymore and was forced to give the order to retreat. A little over 12,000 men began to retreat towards the town of Dresden.

Hiccup turned to Marshall Gustav who had just ridden up to watch the battle from the hill.

"Send in the dragons, cut off their retreat."

"Yes my lord."

Gustav signaled one of his men and he rode off to tell the dragon riders to attack. Hiccup grabbed his binoculars and scanned the field of battle. He saw the Saxon troops retreating, using deer paths to cut through trees.

The town was in a panic, men were grabbing guns ready to defend the town at all costs, women and children began to flee with the soldiers, and businessmen and Nobility got their carriages ready and fled as fast as they could. General Rupert turned around to see where the Berkians were at.

"Colonel Wilhelm, have your troops hold the town until everyone is evacuated. Then I want you to fall back to the nearby hill, we make our defense there."

"Yes, sir. Boys don't give them an inch of Dresden!"

2,000 men turned around and began to take up defensive positions around the town. 300 men joined them in their defense, turning over carts and kneeling behind farm stands. Meanwhile, on the hill Saxon cannon ready for an attack. Over half of the guns had been lost when the battle began, now they only had 12 cannons left.

The dragons were in the air and were looking for a target. They saw the Saxons getting ready for a defense in the town. The lead rider gave a signal and the dragons began to dive. Once they got close enough the dragons released a hailstorm of fire on the defenders. Dresden was now ablaze with people still stuck in the city.

The caroleans launched their attack on the town. The lines of troops began exchanging volleys of gunfire and dozens of men began to fall. The caroleans fired a volley before the Saxons were down reloading, the line was obliterated. Wide holes were made in the lines, and they were running out of men.

"Charge boys!"

The caroleans charged into the town, some were getting him by the defenders but that did not deter them. They made it to the Saxon line and a melee ensued. It was obvious the Saxons were desperate to hold the town, it showed through in their fighting style. One Carolean was stabbed by a bayonet, and other was knocked down after being hit with the blunt end of the musket.

The two flags of the regiments danced around each other as if were it a ballroom. More men fell as the deadly combat wore on but soon enough the troops and began to run.

"No man left alive, shoot um down!"

The caroleans fired a volley at the retreating troops, many fell. 2,000 men were cut down to 456 and even then, some were wounded. The men that stayed behind to protect the town fought on, they were met with the same fate.

"Fire!"

The caroleans fired a deafening volley hitting most of the men. 63 men surrendered after that volley, fighting longer would be hopeless.

Hiccup looked towards the sky, the sun was fully up. It was only noon, and Dresden was on fire. He turned to Gustav who was watching his men advance from afar.

"Have your men form on the base of that hill. Do not advance, wait for the dragons and cannons to soften them up. Once they are softened wait for my signal, then advance."

"Yes my lord" Gustav replied.

Hiccup watched as he rode off to give his men orders. He looked south towards Prague, in his mind, the city would soon fall, He would make sure of it.

In the 2 hours of fighting Saxony had lost 10,568 men and Berk had lost 1,738.

Sorry for going away for a while, school has kept me busy but now I have time to write, enjoy the chapter. I made long to make up for waiting so long.


	17. Surrenders on the Front

Dresden outskirts, 1:00 pm…

The Berkian troops began ready themselves at the base of the hill. The Saxon troops had fled to this hill after being routed in a surprise attack from the Berkian army. The day was not over, the Saxon troops were now desperately holding the hill until reinforcements from both the rest of Saxony and Bohemia.

Hiccup had made his way down to the hill so he could review his troops. His caroleans were in formation waiting for the order to march upon the defenders. Gustav met up with the king who was looking up the hill.

"My lord, the troops are ready to attack."

Hiccup said nothing as he continued to look at the hill.

"My lord, we should attack now while they are disorganized. It'll prevent them from digging in more."

"No, the cannons are to barrage them longer. I want them softened up even more before I launch the attack."

The Berkian cannons had been firing for the better part of an hour now and it was doing damage. The majority of the Saxon defenses were destroyed and men were lying everywhere, killed by the onslaught of iron.

General Rupert only had a little over 6,600 men and with reinforcement's not arriving for another 3 days there would be no point in fighting back.

"Colonel, get me a white flag, we are going to surrender."

Meanwhile, the caroleans were itching to continue the fighting but the order had not been giving. Hiccup was waiting, waiting for the surrender. He knew the Saxon troops wouldn't want to continue the fighting. Just then Gustav rode up next to the king.

"My lord, the Saxon's have thrown up a white flag, they are surrendering!"

"Good, let us meet them."

The two sides met halfway up the hill, the Caroleans marched with their king while the Saxon troops staggered behind general Rupert. The surrender itself was quick, the troops laid down their guns and general Rupert handed over his sword.

Three Hours later…

Hiccup was back at the captured camp. Regiments of the surrendered troops were lined up. He had not decided what to do with them, keep them prisoners or let them go. Then an idea came to him, it was crazy, but that was his thing.

"Gentlemen, you have an option here. You could either remain a prisoner of war or you could enlist in my army and march on Prague."

Hiccup knew this would stir the pot, he imagined the troops were angry that both their brothers and Prague abandoned them.

"Those who wish to enlist, step forward and stand in formation in front of the king's guard. Those who wish to remain a POW, stay where you are currently standing."

After a couple brief moments some of the men started walking forward. Enough men to replace all his loses for the day. Hiccup turned to Gustav who was watching the men step forward.

"Looks like we got a larger army for Prague Gustav."

"Indeed we do my lord."

Three days later, 26 miles northwest of Prague…

The Berkian army had marched into Bohemia unopposed. The dragon riders were keeping a close eye on the enemy army that was in the area. Hiccup was beginning his plan for the attack on Prague, he knew the city wouldn't be taken easily. In 1648, Sweden tried to take the city to end the conflict that was the thirty years war. Although the Swedes were able to break open the walls of the city, the defenders did not give up. The city on Vltava's shore remained unconquered.

Hiccup was planning to beat the Bohemian army before he marched on Prague that way no reinforcements could aid the city. The tricky part was trying to lure the Bohemians into a fight. He had purposely divided his army into smaller parts just so the enemy army could come out from hiding. Hiccup's patience was running thin and was just about ready to launch an all-out attack on them.

Maps and charts were scattered all over Hiccups desk as he looked for a good location to start the battle. Heather stood with him also trying to find good ground to fight on.

"Maybe we could have the Hakkapeliitta attack their supply lines."

"No, too risky. We do not have a lot of cavalry and I need as many as I can get for the siege."

"Perhaps I could take my regiments and skirmish them. As they lose more men, they'll be forced to call for reinforcements. That's when the rest of the army arrives."

"Alright, but be careful, I don't need to lose an entire brigade in a small skirmish."

"You got it, my lord."

Heather gave a salute and walked out of the tent so she could get some rest. Hiccup meanwhile, sat down in his chair and began to read a book about the siege of Prague. He got lost in the book's words as it described the bloody battle for the fortress. Unconsciously he began to write something down in his journal.

While Europe speak of peace, all other battles cease

There's a man who aims for more than he can reach

Blood,

All over

Prague

On fire

Burn

All of Bohemia set ablaze

Stand on their own

The road to the city has been blocked

Denied

(They're denied)

To enter the gates

Though they tried

(Though they tried)

When Prague was called to arms

They fought them on the bridge

Their freedom was at stake

Stand and fight, the city is burning

Königsmarck lost, stopped him at Karluv Most.

Stained by blood, their brothers die side by side

Did what they could

Died where they stood

Their city has been besieged, all hell on Prague unleashed

As the cannons crush the walls, the city shakes

Fear

Is spreading

Hate

Increasing

Death

And pain is all that Sweden brought

Rise and strike back

The walls of the city has been breached

Reclaimed

(They're reclaimed)

On that very night

Unsustained

(Unsustained)

They did it on their own

They fought them on the bridge

Their freedom was at stake

Stand and fight, the city is burning

Königsmarck lost, stopped him at Karluv Most.

Stained by blood, their brothers die side by side

Did what they could

Died where they stood

Unconquered city on Vltava's shore

Start of the conflict and end of the war

Unconquered city on Vltava's shore

Is protected by its people

And thirty years ago the war begun

It has returned to where it started

The road to the city has been blocked

Denied

(They're denied)

To enter the gates

Though they tried

(Though they tried)

When Prague was called to arms

They fought them on the bridge

Their freedom was at stake

Stand and fight, the city is burning

Königsmarck lost, stopped him at Karluv Most.

Stained by blood, their brothers die side by side

Did what they could

Died where they stood

Stand and fight, the city is burning

Königsmarck lost, stopped him at Karluv Most.

Stained by blood, their brothers die side by side

Did what they could

Died where they stood.

Hiccup put down his notebook and prepared for the next day. He knew there was gonna be a battle, but he knew this fight would be a costly one.

Berlin, Prussia…

News had reached Jan Sobieski that a white flag has been raised over Brandenburg Gate. The flags of Poland marched in the city to see if these reports were true and sure enough at Brandenburg Gate was the Prussian army with their guns down. King Jan and King Fredrick stared each other down, their eyes piercing each other with 1,000 swords. A Prussian drummer and a white flag barer began to march forward, behind them king Frederick rode his horse. King Jan met him halfway with his personal guard. Frederick proceeded to get off his horse, followed by King Jan.

"You and your Berkian Allies have bested the mighty Prussian army. I surrender."

King Frederick bent down on one knee and presented his sword in defeat.

"I accept your surrender cousin."

 **Woah plot twist. King Jan is Frederick cousin. I bet you are confused but here is how it works. The polish crown is an elected title. Hiers are named by the Sjem, and anyone can try to get their choice to be king. Jan is related to Frederick through royal marriages in the past. Jan was elected to become the king, which is why he is on the throne. Well, that was a mouthful. I didn't what to write I thought I was gonna write another battle but it quickly morphed into a surrender on two fronts. Next chapter will be a fight between Bohemia and Berk. - Dilloncoll**


	18. Battle in Bohemia

Caution: Character Death, you have been warned.

One week later, Northern Bohemia

The sun was beginning to rise over the mountains in the sudetenland. It was a nice day, not a cloud in the sky, good day for a fight. The Bohemian army was cut off from Prague and the rest of the HRE. Across the small creek Heather and her Berkian troops sat in wait. Hiccup was counting on her to destroy this army so that way he could focus on taking the capital of the kingdom. Her scouts had just came back from scouting the enemy positions, with them came information on the enemy army.

"Sir, we are outnumbered 6:1. They have at least 30,000 men, we only have 5,000 men, and 6 guns."

"Well then we lore them out. Send a small unit of skirmishers out, see if we can draw them out."

"Yes, sir."

The order was given and 200 men were sent forward across the creek. This did the job Heather wanted, the enemy army left their positions and went to engage the small unit of men.

"Colonel, we're in range now sir" yelled a soldier.

"Fire, give um a volley, then we fallback."

The Berkians let loose a volley, causing at least 50 men to fall. After they shot they began to retreat back to friendly lines. Heather looked through her binoculars and watched as her men retreated back to her lines.

"Have the guns open up, make them bleed."

"Yes sir. Artillery, open fire!"

The cannons roared to life as they fired their iron balls of death. The skirms felt the shockwave of the explosions as they hit their intended target.

Heather looked on as the 200 men were getting shot as they retreated.

"Come on, get those guns loaded faster!"

Soon enough they made it back to friendly lines and reformed with the 3rd Berserker infantry regiment.

"Ready, aim, fire!"

The Berkians let loose a volley of lead, killing or wounding many. Then the cannons fired again causing dozens of Bohemians to fly.

"First rank crouch!"

The the first row of men in the Berkian lines crouched along with the officer

"Second rank fire!"

The second row of Berkians fired a volley causing even more enemy troops to fall. The Bohemians,however, were not deterred. They fired a volley into the Berkians causing some of the men in the front to be killed. Then they charged for the Berkian lines, hoping to overwhelm them with their numbers.

"Fire canister" the artillery officer yelled.

The cannon crews were rushing to get the shells loaded before the enemy made it to their lines. The infantry had just finished reloading their muskets and were now ready to fire again .

"Fire at will!"

The men fired all at once trying to do as much damage as possible. Heather and her reserves were getting anxious as the bohemians were getting closer by the second. The cannons finally let loose their canister shots cutting down many. Soon enough Berkian troops began lining up around the guns to hold them as long as possible.

"Present bayonets!"

The Berkians stopped loading their guns and aimed their bayonets at the enemy.

"Charge!"

With a resounding battle cry the Berkians charged right into the Bohemians. The ensuing melee was brutal, men were being stabbed in the stomach or the chest, others had their heads bashed in by the butt of the gun. Officers fired their pistol and drew their sword stabbing or slashing at anyone who came near. The difference in training was beginning to show as the outnumbered Berkians were holding their own against the hoard of Bohemians. The Berkian banner waved high above the men as the combat carried on.

Heather and her men now had a good shot on the Bohemians.

"Fire!"

The soldiers fired a volley into the backs of their enemy and began to charge into the fight. Heather stabbed an officer who attempted to stab one of her men. For the first time she had blood on her sword.

Berk 1 week after the battle

Heather just arrived to the capital of the viking kingdom. She would be representing the Berserker tribe in the new military along with 400 of their best warriors. As she walked around the city, she could see some graves of fallen men from the battle that had taken place the week prior. After some more walking she had found the training grounds for the army. Soon she was outfitted with a sword and pistol, her men with a musket and bayonet.

Astrid watched over them and gave them their commands.

"Alright fall in with your officer. Move!"

The men formed on the right and left of Heather with the standard bearer and drummer boy on either side of her.

"Good. Present arms!"

The men readied themselves to fire.

"Aim!"

The troops aimed their muskets at the targets in front of them.

"Fire!"

They fired a volley at the targets many of the bullets hit their mark.

"Charge!"

They screamed and ran towards the practice dummies. They made it to the target but they were out of breath.

"If this was a real fight half of you would on the ground dying. You must move as fast as you can once you fire a volley. Heather you are the officer of this unit, it is your job to call the right moves. Only charge when the king tells you to charge."

"Yes si-."

"Now hold on" Hiccup said walking up behind her.

The men in the training grounds knelt before the king, a sign of respect.

"Rise my friends, there is no need to kneel. Now if the officer believes that a charge is necessary then they can charge. There is always some leeway with my orders. As long as you follow my overall command and don't stray too far from friendly lines you will be fine."

Hiccup looked at the men before him.

"We have plenty of time to turn you into soldiers. Now where is your commander."

"Right here sir" Heather said weekly.

"No need to be nervous, I am not god."

"Sorry sir, I'm still getting used to the whole king thing."

"Hmm."

Hiccup looked at her uniform. It was a standard officer uniform, a dark red coat with a white shirt underneath. The collar and cuffs were black and her rank was displayed on her collar. He looked down to her sword, once again it was a standard issue sword designed for infantry and a standard pistol.

"Can you fight with a sword?"

"Yes I can, my father trained me before the war."

"Good, draw your sword."

Heather took out her sword and held it and from his side Hiccup drew his sword, Carolus Rex.

"Engard" Hiccup said.

The two blades clashed with each other between the two. Heather broke the stalemate and swung right. Hiccup countered and forced the weapon out of her hand.

"Not as a good as I hoped but I'm sure with a bit more practice you'll be better at swordplay."

Hiccup turned back to Astrid.

"Alright carry on with your training. We must be ready for the next battle. We got lucky in the last fight, the British weren't expecting an actual fight."

Bohemia present day

Heather dogged a bayonet stab, then swung at the man and cut him down. Heather then slashed downwards but the soldier in front of her blocked it. Not to be out down she took out her pistol and shot the man, point blank. Soon she pushed the bohemians back to where the rest of the army could get shots off. After fighting through the crowd of men, Heather and 10 of her troops started shooting at some of the retreating enemies.

"They are on the run boys keep fighting!"

A small regiment of Bohemians turned around and presented arms.

"Fire" the officer yelled.

The bullets left their guns with a loud bang. Heather was too distracted to notice the men firing at her. Then a bullet hit her in the chest.

Hiccup and the King's guard and two regiments of Caroleans arrived to help the fighting. By now the bohemians lost the will to fight and began to surrender. His men formed by the cannons and shot anyone who still posed a threat to the troops. He had ordered marshal Gustav to deal with the enemy on the hill. Looking through his binoculars he could see the Berkian flag waving on top of the hill.

Riding around the battlefield, Hiccup saw plenty of his men down. Hiccup rode up behind some of the viking troops, shaken up from the fighting.

"Major, where is colonel Heather?"

"I do not know sir. Perhaps she is with the honor guard to right there, by the cannons."

"Thank you."

Riding over there he knew something was wrong as the men were huddled together. Jumping off his horse, Hiccup ran over to the men. When he got there his heart sank, on the ground lie Heather with a bullet hole in her chest.

"Heather" he said kneeling down by her said, grabbing her hand.

"Did we win?"

"We did, they've surrendered."

"Good, then my men did their job."

"You're gonna be alright I promise."

"I'm sorry Hiccup, I failed you. It's my fault I got shot."

"No, it's not your fault. It's not anybody's fault."

"Do… Do me a favor" Heather started before she began to spit out blood.

"Medic" Hiccup yelled.

"Burn down Prague for me, Please."

"I will, I promise I will."

She smiled weakly as a medic came by her side. Slowly she began to close her eyes and her arm went limp.

"She's gone sir" the medic said.

Hiccup sighed, he looked away, tears threatening to fall.

"Get her on a stretcher and get a flag."

"Yes my lord."

The men put the fallen officer on a stretcher and draped a Berkian banner over her body. Soon after two gronckles landed at the battlefield to collect Heather. The trumpet blowers and the drummer boys began to play a somber song as the Honor Guard marched with the flag draped stretcher. Hiccup watched them from afar on top of his horse as the body is brought forth.

"Sir, we've captured 16,768 soldiers."

"Ok, Gustav. Prepare to move the men out, we have a city to march on."

"Yes my lord."

The two of them watch as the dragons take off with Heather's body, on their way back to Berserker island.

Later that night 10 miles from Prague.

Hiccup was at his desk, reading a report from one of his scouts. Prague had 6,000 men holding the city and enough food to last for a month. Hiccup, however, had 60 cannons ready to blow the walls of the city to pieces. Hiccup put down the piece of paper and began to write a letter.

Dear King Jan,

I hope this letter finds you well as I begin to lead my assault on Prague. I have heard that Berlin has surrendered. Perhaps we should start making a treaty with them when I return. I'm sure the Vienna will want to be in on the peace deal once the city has fallen. The emperor will want to control the electors once again, I am sure of it.

I have taken very minimum casualties on my march here but I have lost one of my most trusted officers. I also write you to find out how Astrid is or if she is still in a comma. If she is awake tell her that I will return very soon to help her recover. I maybe a changed man after this fight though. I will burn the city to the ground once I take it. There will be no mercy.

-Hiccup.

Hiccup rolled up the paper and attached it to the small dragon at his side.

"Fly to Berlin, deliver this to king Jan."

The dragon chirped and flew out of the tent. Hiccup sat back on his chair, his mind racing. He got up from the chair and walked outside. Gustav was quick to greet him and the two men began to talk.

"When this war is over Gustav, I am gonna get a months worth of rest."

"I agree my lord, but I think I will stay with the military and make sure we don't fall behind the rest of the world."

"My friend, we are already number one."

"If you say so my lord."

Silence fell between the two men as they looked out from the hill they were on. Their eyes fixed up the glowing lights emanating from the city.


	19. The battle of Prague

_Prague, early February 1690_

Snow covered the land surrounding the city. For the Bohemians that saw this as an advantage because it would slow the Berkians down. For the Berkians they saw the snow as a way to cool down the cannons.

The attack plans were drawn up and the battle was planned in three phases. The first phase would be a bombardment of cannons and dragons, destroying walls and other defenses. Phase two would begin as soon as the walls were destroyed. The infantry would begin to march on the city, there would be no mercy. Once the men stormed the city phase three would begin, looting the city of its riches.

Cannons aimed at the city were ready, the crews had a full night's rest. Hiccup was also prepared for the upcoming fight. He would be leading the troops into the city once the walls fell. Currently, he was in his tent making sure he was ready.

"Good morning sir."

"Morning Gustav."

"Fine day to die, isn't it."

"Indeed."

"The cannons are ready, they are waiting for your order."

The two of them walked out of the tent and walked to where the colonel of artillery was.

"Gentlemen, good to see you."

"And you as well, Colonel Lewenhaupt."

The three men looked at the city in front of them. Hiccup watched as the defenders inside were rushing around getting ready for anything.

"If I am to arrive when the walls should fall, I should begin my march now. You may fire when ready."

"Yes, sir."

Hiccup got on his horse and went to go collect some men. Gustav turned back to Lewenhaupt who was also watching the king left.

"Watch your fire, you hit the king, I will break every bone in your body understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Gustav walked away to go gather his own troops leaving Lewenhaupt to his guns.

"Well don't just stand there, get moving. On my order your fire."

(Am I allowed to use songs twice or no?)

 _When Berlin speaks of peace_

 _All others battle cease_

 _There is a man who went for then he could reach._

"Fire!"

The cannons roared to life as dragons began to take off to deliver their own punishment. Explosions rattled the city making the defenders take cover. One cannonball hit the gunpowder storage, causing it to ignite. A few men were sent flying from another shot while one had his leg blown off.

 _Blood_

 _All over_

 _Prague_

 _On fire_

 _All of Bohemia set ablaze_

 _Stand on their own._

The Prince-elector of Bohemia stood on the gatehouse giving orders to his men.

"Close the gate, let us make it hard for them to take these walls."

Another shell hit the wall causing a few defenders to fall from it.

 _The road to the city has been blocked_

 _Denied_

 _To enter the gate_

Hiccup's forces were now in position, the King's guard and four regiments of Caroleans.

"Come on break the walls"

 _Though they tried_

 _When Prague was called to arms_

 _They fought them on the bridge_

 _Their freedom was at stake_

"Everyone I want bayonets fixed."

"Yes sir" the men responded.

 _Stand and fight_

 _The city is burning_ … (gonna skip the chorus here as it doesn't serve a purpose.)

Hiccup watched as the city burned from the inside. His men were still sitting, waiting for the walls to be breached. On top of the hill overlooking Prague, Colonel Lewenhaupt watched his cannons destroy buildings and lives. His king told him that there would be no mercy. A soldier ran up to him, he was covered in black marks and smelt like gunpowder.

"Sir one portion of the wall is extremely week. We should focus on fire there sir."

"Alright, captain focus fire on that wall right there."

The captain looked at the wall in question, there was an obvious crack.

 _The city has been besieged_

 _All hell on Prague unleashed_

 _As the cannons crush the walls_

 _The city shakes_

 _Fear_

 _Is spreading_

Inside the walls, the townspeople were hiding underneath tables and other pieces of furniture. Women held on to their children while any abled body men were out fighting.

 _Hate_

 _Increasing_

The men on the walls gave the Berkians death glares as they stood there watching them get killed. The prince elector helped a soldier get up after a nearby explosion made him fall. He sighed his people were being slaughtered and he could do nothing about it.

 _Death_

 _And pain is all that Berk brought._

 _Rise and strike and back_

"Fire!"

The three guns fired, the iron shells left the cannon and struck the wall. Then the wall began to crumble. Men on top of the wall jumped, trying to not get crushed. Hiccup saw the wall come down and he smiled. Looking back at his troops he gave the orders.

"Berkians, Swedes, forward, march!"

The men began to move forward as the guns continued to fire.

 _The walls of the city have been breached_

The prince elector grabbed a rifle and yelled at his troops to open fire. The first volley did virtually nothing, only one or two went down. The second volley they fired did a bit more damage, 16 men went down. By the time the 3rd volley was ready, the Berkians were just a few feet from the wall.

"Fire!"

Over 100 Bohemians fell, rolling down the ruble.

"Charge!"

The king's guard charged into the bohemian lines. On top of his horse, Hiccup watched the fighting. From where he was on the wall he could see the entire town. Gustav rode up to him, his men not too far behind.

"My lord, they are on the run."

"Good, finish them off. I want them either dead or captured. Do not stop to loot. We will do so after the fight."

"Yes, sir."

Hiccup started to follow his men who were now chasing the routing troops. That is where he saw the prince elector. He had his horse gallop up to him as his men charged the prince's guard.

The prince gulped, the Berkian king was threatening sight. His presence was ominous and behind him was his city on fire. Gathering his courage he drew his sword.

"You have a lot of balls attacking Prague" he said in German.

"Yes, I am here to finish what the Swedish started in 1648" Hiccup responded speaking fluent German.

"God created me to stop you."

Hiccup laughed darkly, his green eyes piercing into the prince's soul.

"I guess you can believe that until I cut you down."

Hiccup drew his sword as well. The prince swung and Hiccup responded. The blades clashed and sparks flew. Hiccup pulled back and slashed at the prince but he blocked the sword. The two of the clashed swords for a while, fighting throughout the city. Soon the two men were on Vltava's shore, their boots digging into the mud. Hiccup ducked a slash from the prince and cut the man's arm. He screamed in pain but did not give up.

"You fight well your highness, but I am better."

"In your dreams, Berkian scum."

Hiccup swung his sword at the prince again but he blocked it. Hiccup the kicked the prince in the stomach causing him to fall down the river bank. Hiccup on the top of the bank looked down at the prince.

"I have the high ground now."

"Not for long."

The prince grabbed Hiccup's leg and brought him down to the edge of the bank. The two clashed swords again, sparks flying into the river. Hiccup ducked underneath a sword strike and cut the side of the prince's body. He screamed in pain as the berkian king stood up again. Hiccup grabbed the prince's arm and twisted said arm, forcing him to drop the sword.

"Your time is up Prince."

Hiccup was punched in the face causing him to stagger. The prince stood back up grabbing his sword off the ground. Hiccup blocked his strike and took a step forward. This time he would end it. As the prince went to go slash at him, Hiccup slashed his sword. The force from the strike caused the prince's hand out of a good blocking position. Hiccup landed more of these strikes as the prince tried to block them. Then Hiccup used an opening and cut off the man's hand.

"Ahhhhh!"

Hiccup then stabbed him in the chest, the prince screaming in pain. He fell backward and hit the ground hard. The prince tried to get up but fell back down. Hiccup kicked him in the back which caused the prince to roll into the edge of the river.

"It's over, I won."

"Never."

The prince tried to get up with one hand and grab his sword but Hiccup grabbed his sword first. Hiccup threw the prince's sword into the river, then walked back to the prince. Hiccup stabbed him in the abdomen and the prince slowly closed his eyes. He then kicked the prince's body into the water turned red.

Hiccup limped his way back to his troops who were rounding up civilians. Gustav was watching over them as his troops were sacking whatever they could find.

"My lord, what shall we do with the civilians."

"Anyone that puts up a fight, shoot them, any children out of line shoot them, any women who move towards their men shoot them. Understood."

"Yes my lord."

Hiccup watched as soldiers piled gold and art on top of wagons, the city was looted. He got on a horse and began to ride off, Gustav followed. The townspeople began to throw insults his way as he rode by.

"You bastard!"

"You're mother's a whore!"

Hiccup stopped and looked back at Gustav, his expression spoke for him. Gustav turned towards the troops.

"Fire."

Gunshots rang out and the insults stopped.

 _Two ways to view the world so similar at times_

 _Two ways to view the world to justify their crimes_

 _By kings and queens, young men are sent to die in war_

 _Their propaganda speaks those words been heard before_

 _Two ways to view the world brought Europe down in flames_

 _Two ways to rule_

In London, the army was training more men to be sent to France. Paris was also a base of operation. King Louis was now ready to begin his share of the war. His army had stayed out of the fighting so they could build up their strength. The next day he would march for Berlin, then to Warsaw, and end it all, Berk. He was not concerned about the Austrians.

 _Has man gone insane_

 _A few will remain_

 _Who'll find a way_

 _To live one more day_

 _Through decades of war_

 _It spreads like_ disease

 _There is no sign of peace_

 _Religion and greed_

 _Cause millions to bleed_

 _Three decades of war._

The night began to fall in Prague but the burning city illuminated the night. Dead soldiers were buried and dead civilians were thrown into the fire. Hiccup and Gustav stood next to each other, both watching the flames.

"No doubt the world will think we are murderers. Not a good impression of a new kingdom."

"It doesn't matter what people think about us. I want to end this war, Gustav."

"My lord, I understand but… does murdering the city of Prague achieve that goal?"

"No, no it does not."

Then the gravity of the situation hit Hiccup like a brick wall. He collapsed to his knees and put his head into his hands. Gustav looked at the young man who was visibly sobbing.

"What have I done."

Gustav sighed, he did this out of anger over the loss of Heather. He walked over to the king and crouched beside him.

"It's too late to fix things now but we can improve our image when we invade France."

"Indeed."

More gunshots rang out as some pockets of soldiers still fought on.

 _From dawn to dawn they're fighting_

 _Die where they stand_

 _The fog of war lies thick_

 _When armies scorch the land_

 _When all of Europe is burning_

 _What can be done_

 _They've been to war a decade (Not really it's only been a year, couldn't think of anything to replace this with)_

 _Two more to come_

Long _way from home_

 _Döpas och dö I_ strid

 _Lifetime at war_

King William sat in his tent at his base in the Rhineland. He was waiting for Louis to arrive as well as fresh troops from home. Word had reached him the Berlin had fallen earlier and now only Paris and London were left fighting.

 _Has man gone insane_

 _A few will remain_

 _Who'll find a way_

 _To live one more day_

 _Through decades of war_

 _It spreads like_ disease

 _There is no sign of peace_

 _Religion and greed_

 _Cause millions to bleed_

 _Three decades of war._

King Jan sat in the tent that held the wounded Astrid Hofferson. The medics were just in to change her bandages. Hiccup was right, she didn't flinch when she was awake. She asked where he was and he told her the events of the past weeks. Jan told her of slipping in and out of consciousness, eating and drinking some food only to go back to sleep.

 _When they face death they're all alike_

 _No right or wrong_

 _Rich or poor_

 _No matter who they served before_

 _Good or bad_

 _They're all the same_

 _Rest side by side now_

The fighting had begun almost a year ago, casualties were now at a quarter of a million. With the Germanic countries knocked out of the war, Hiccup could now focus on the major players in the conflict. The army would march back to Berlin and rest there for the remaining weeks of the winter. Fishlegs will soon begin a long campaign of destroying the British economy. The colonies were supporting their respective mother countries. Some troops are being sent but for the most part it was just trading. King William would die from old age a few days into March, leaving behind his daughter to run the kingdom.

Paris would send its army to the Rhine to deter the Berkians from attacking the river. Austria would enter southern France in mid-March but would be stopped by the southern French army. The Polish armies had high morale after taking Berlin. Another 100,000 commonwealth troops would be ready for combat by spring, bringing the total troop count for all sides to 3 million men.

 _Has man gone insane_

 _A few will remain_

 _Who'll find a way_

 _To live one more day_

 _Through decades of war_

 _It spreads like_ disease

 _There is no sign of peace_

 _Religion and greed_

 _Cause millions to bleed_

 _Three decades of war._

* * *

 **Haha, you thought the story ended, didn't you? No, we are halfway there though. That last paragraph is to change the flow of the story a bit. Berk's navy had grown when Sweden joined the kingdom. Berk can now launch a naval campaign that could be successful. I should also make a list of the songs used. I guess I'll start here, the two songs used in this chapter is 1648, the story of the battle of Prague at the end of the thirty years war, and Lifetime of War, a song about how the thirty years war affected everybody. - Dilloncoll**


	20. The Wolfpack Strikes

_The North Atlantic Ocean_

The seas were quiet like always. Such conditions allowed for the British merchant ships to move freely. Captain Henry was tasked with escorting 14 trade ships with his 3 small warships. He wasn't concerned about the ships, their enemy had no navy to speak of. The polish navy was no more then 30 ships, most of which were converted trade ships. The Berkians had their Viking long ships, no true warships.

His flagship _HMS Ingham_ was armed with 40 cannons, her two sister ships _HMS Gleaves_ and _HMS Bury_ were only armed with 30 cannons. The trade ships varied some had 20 guns while others only had 4. It was still early in the morning and pretty dark out, most of the crews were sleeping or just waking up.

Out in the dark lie six ships, all but two sported the Berkian banner. The order from Grand Admiral Fishlegs was simple, destroy the convoy. The _SS Night_ , led by Captain Dagur, was armed with 50 cannons alone. Her two sister ships _Dark_ and _Shadow_ were armed with 40 cannons each. _Fury_ was smaller, only sporting 30 cannons. The two Swedish vessels _SS_ _Viborg_ and _Gustavus_ were both armed with 40 guns.

Dagur knew that he had to move fast. If he attacked in the dark we would catch them off guard and unprepared. The six ships lined up their shots, _Night_ in front aiming at the front warship and _Fury_ in the back aiming at the rear guard. The early morning sky was lit up as a massive volley of cannons fired. The shells hit the ships hard tearing holes in their wooden hulls.

Henry was shocked, from out of nowhere these ships attacked.

"Everyone, battle stations!"

The crew got moving quickly, trying to get to their guns. The Berkian ships continued to fire, the guns raining hell on the British. An explosion rocked the ocean and the dark morning was once again lit up. A cannon ball from _Fury_ had went through the _HMS Bury_ and hit her powder magazine, causing the gunpowder to ignite. Henry was in shock, the enemy had surprised him.

"Fire, fire back!"

His ship began to fire, soon to be followed by _Gleaves_ and a few of the trade ships. They did little damage as the Berkian ships were moving faster then they were. _Gustavus_ made a hard turn left and got its right starboard aimed at a trade ship. It fired a tore holes all over the ship. _Night_ fired a volley at a trade ship. The iron shells hit again, two of the shots hit water first, then hit the hull. The crew at the bottom of the trade ship began to panic, the ship began to take on water.

 _Shadow_ had moved in front of _Night_ and fired at _Ingham_ , the ship took a beating. Some of the crew on the deck were knocked off the ship from the impact. By now 3 trade ships were taking on water, the damage done was too much for the hulls to take. The crews of the ship began to abandon the vessels.

Dagur smiled as he saw the crews of the ships jump.

"Signal _Fury_ , tell them to capture those sailors."

"Yes sir."

Henry was sweating, his ships were being sunk, one after another.

"Through up a white-" he was cut off by the sound of an explosion.

He ran over to the side of the ship and looked over the deck. One of the trade ships carrying weapons had exploded.

"Put up white flag, we are surrendering."

"Yes sir."

On board _Night_ Dagur was happy. The British flag ship had surrendered, which was followed by the other ships.

"Board the ships, capture them."

 _Night_ docked up next to _Ingham_ , the crew jumped aboard the ship capturing everyone. Dagur captured 12 ships, 70,000 muskets, 3 months worth of rations, 60 cannons, 14,000 troops, and 2,000 sailors. _Fury_ sunk two ships, _Night_ , _Shadow_ , and _Gustavus_ had sunk one ship each. The wolfpack struck for the first time. _Gustavus_ and _Viborg_ would escort the captured ships back to Berk to unload their cargo and prisoners while Dagur remained at sea.

* * *

 _100 miles off the coast of Scotland 4 hours later_

Captain Tay was patrolling the sea with his ship _HMS Lancaster_. He was looking for the convoy of ships that was supposed to arrive 2 hours ago. Many things could have happened, Later departure time, storms forcing them to take a longer route, or just low wind speeds.

"Any sign of them?"

"No sir."

"Keep looking, they have a lot of supplies to keep the war effort going."

"Yes sir."

Then Tay saw some ships appear on the horizon.

"I see them, full sail."

The 60 gun ship began to move towards the ships, expecting to be met with the union jack. He sailed the ship in between two of the incoming ships hoping to talk with the captain. Once he was fully between the two ships he yelled for their captain. He was met with cannon fire.

It was quick and simple, 40 guns shot at the ship. Fires began to erupt on the _Lancaster_ , causing the crew to panic. Men began to yell the ship was taking on water.

"Jump!"

The men began to jump out of the ship. Captain Tay stayed on so he could make sure as many men could jump out as possible. He walked back into his cabin and smashed the glass in his window. Tay took a good look at the names of the ships, _Night_ and _Fury_.

"Sir all the men from below deck have jumped."

"Ok thank you."

Tay ran over to the side of the ship and jumped off the boat. He climbed aboard the only rowboat that survived the attack.

"Hurry we must gather the navy, we must bring these two ships down."

* * *

 _The Rhine River_

The French and British army had made winter camp on the Rhine a few weeks ago. Their intention was to hold the river and prevent the Berkian army from crossing. The recent death of King William demoralized the troops but they still held the river. The French army was ready to protect their homeland by any means necessary.

Across the river was the Polish army who had left Berlin the previous week. Hiccup had asked King Jan if he would hold there to make it look like they were planning to attack the enemy camp. Hiccup was in the southern areas of the Rhine with his army, which had grown in size. Sweden had sent more troops as well as Berk itself which had another five tribes join. Hiccup had an army of 100,000 men, most of which were the best troops in the world.

The dragon scouts had been busy, looking up and down the river to find the best point to cross. Finding a good spot to cross was hard, the river was wide and the best crossing spots were in a neutral country. Savoy remained out of the war, one of the few member states of the HRE not wanting to get involved. However, they were willing to make a quick buck. They offered the Berkian army military access if they promised to protect them if France attacked. Hiccup gladly accepted the offer. On April the tenth, the Berkian army entered savoy.

As the army marched people from across the country came to see them. Women threw flowers at them, the men offered handshakes and food, and the children marched alongside the troops. As the King and his staff rode by, people by the dozens wished the young man well. Astrid smiled, watching Hiccup take in all the praise. The town of Basel welcomed them as they rested for a bit.

Getting off his horse, Hiccup made his way over to a tavern with his staff. Once they were inside, they were welcomed by the townspeople offering drinks and food. For once they were able to relax and enjoy themselves.

By the afternoon the army was well rested and began to march again. They left the town and marched north west, towards Paris. Days passed as Hiccup marched, he knew sooner or later the French would find out about his movements. The fortress city of Belfort was taken without a shot fired. His dragon riders still reported no movements from the British or French armies.

"Astrid send out the Hakkapeliitta, have them burn a village."

"Understood."

She gave the signal and 400 riders left for a nearby town. The attack on the town was quick. Making sure the townspeople were out of all the buildings, they burned it down. The black smoke was visible for miles. Hiccup held his position waiting for the dragon riders to report any movement.

Astrid was sitting at her desk when Gustav handed her a note. She nodded and made her way over to Hiccup's office. When she reached his office in the town hall, he was leaning over a map of France.

"Anything?'

"No, there is no major army within 50 miles of here."

"I don't understand, I have taken a fortified town, burned a village and those damn French bastards don't move. Hand me my pencil."

"Here you go" she said, handing him the quill.

"I think we should move further into the country. However, we should try and fully secure the Rhine. We will need King Jan to get his troops across. I think we will attack from the south and do our best to cut them off from retreat."

"Then we secure that bridge which would allow Jan across."

"Exactly."

Hiccup leaned back up and walked to where Astrid was. She had walked to the terrace and leaned over it's railing watching the flames from the burning town illuminate the night sky.

"I'm sure Paris will fall" she said.

"I agree, but when though?"

"I give it at least a year. The French are stubborn and I'm sure the British won't give easily."

"Agreed."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. King William has died."

"When?"

"March, died from age. His daughter replaced him as king. General Montgomery has taken over the British forces in France."

"How did you find this out?"

"Sneaky, brought me a paper from the paper in Paris."

"That little dragon flew all the way to Paris, just to steal a piece of paper?"

"Yes."

"Ok then."

Astrid took a good look at Hiccup. He had begun to grow the beard out and with said beard growing, made him look older. Hiccup put an arm around her and she leaned her head against his chest.

* * *

 _Glasgow, Scotland_

Tay ran over the Naval headquarters in the city. Glasgow had became an important port in the British empire when they had annexed scotland. Since then, the town had become home to 34 warships and another 6 ships were under construction. Once Tay reached the headquarters he ran to the Admiral's office.

"No, there is no need. The Berkians have no navy and the Polish don't have seaworthy ships" said admiral Fremantle.

"Are you sure sir?"

"I am positive. We don't need to guard the trade ships as much."

Tay busted through the door at that moment, out of breath.

"Captain Tay, what is the meaning of this. Open my door any harder and you'll break it."

"I'm sorry sir but I have urgent news."

"Well then you can tell me over some tea. John, could you fetch us some tea."

"Yes sir" said the young boy.

"Well now what do you have to report."

"Sir-."

"First off, did you find the trade convoy."

"No sir but I have a feeling that they were attacked."

"By pirates?"

"No, the Berkians."

"Impossible, they don't have any ships that can fight ours."

"They do, my Lancaster was sunk by two ships."

Fremantle was shocked, he knew Tay wasn't one to run his ship aground or lose a fight to just some pirates.

"Did you see the names of the ships?"

"I did, _Night_ and _Fury_."

"I will spread the word. There is a bounty on those two ships. 1,000 pounds if you have proof that you sunk them."

"Shall I gather a fleet?"

"Yes. I will send a letter to London. If the Berkians are building warships that can destroy ours, we need to stop them from building them."

"Understood, I shall leave right away."

"Good luck and fair seas, Captain."

Tay nodded and saluted then left Fremantle's office. Tay made his way back to the port and went to go find the harbormaster.

"Harold, send a message to all the captains, we are going to destroy the Berkian fleet."

"Yes sir."

* * *

 _Berk_

While Hiccup was away on campaign Fishlegs was watching over the Capital. He watched over trade and diplomatic affairs. Not only that, he was also in charge of the navy. Using what money the new kingdom had, he built warships that could go against the British. The pride of that new navy was Night, she was the largest ship in the navy. In his mind, smaller ships that could be armed to the teeth were the way to go.

Berk's naval power continued to grow because they were building ships. Currently they had 20 seaworthy ships, he planned to get that number to 80 by then end of the year. With the territory of Sweden and Finland came the vast amount of resources and plenty of ports to build ships in as well as tons of both wood and iron. The ports of kingdom were filled with empty hulls, over 100 ships were now under construction.

Fishlegs knew that this wouldn't be enough to fight the royal navy which had ship estimates in the 400s. He was looking over charts and other documents when Mulch walked in.

"I've gone through the treasury and have counted all of your coin" he said.

"And?"

"We have 6,000 pieces of gold and we have over 45,000 silver pieces as well."

"Do we have any debts to pay."

"No."

"Good, put what we can to ships. I promised Hiccup a navy and I will make sure we have a navy."

"You're the boss" Mulch said as he made his way out of the office.

"Oh, _Gustavus_ and _Viborg_ is back."

"Just those two. Are they damaged?"

"No, they are fine."

"Then where are the other ships I gave Dagur."

"Still out at sea."

"Still out at sea. Why is Dagur out at sea with 4 ships."

"Because someone had to bring back the captured ships."

Fishlegs' frown turned into a smile.

"Well then, get all the captured cargo off the ships and put all the prisoners in the prison."

"Yes sir."

* * *

 _Aboard Night_

The crew of Berk's flagship were celebrating the victories they had. In two battles Dagur had done the unthinkable, engage the royal navy. There was plenty of gold being sent to Berk as well as supplies to keep the war effort going.

"A fine capturing if I do say so myself captain."

"Indeed my friend but think of the riches my brother will reward us for doing so good. I'm sure once he takes Paris, he'll pay us handsomely."

"The king, he is your brother?"

"No, not by blood but I still call him brother."

"Captain, I see 3 ships bearing the Union Jack. They are trade ships sir."

Dagur took out his telescope and saw the 3 ships. He smiled, the thought of the plunder gave him joy.

"Friends, signal the rest of us. The Wolfpack strikes again."

The crew let out a cheer and the four ships began to ascend on the unsuspecting trade ships.

* * *

 **The Wolfpack has become a threat now to British ships. Also I'm glad I can fit Dagur into the story now. I think he would be a great captain for the navy since he was the chief of the Berserkers at the time the story began. I also wanted naval combat to make an appearance, it adds another story to war. Will the French army react to Hiccup and his army or will the French and British troops continue to hold the Rhine? - Dilloncoll**


	21. Battle of Epinal Part 1

_Eastern Bank of the Rhine_

The Polish army had over 160,000 troops stationed on the Rhine. King Jan was getting impatient though, Hiccup had not sent him any information about his movements. All he knew was that Hiccup had marched south and into Savoy. Hiccup was supposed to be invading France not neutral countries.

Albercik was also getting impatient. The army has held this position for over two weeks now and the Berkians were nowhere to be found. After Teabold was killed back at Danzig he was promoted to general for his heroic actions. Soon he was second in command to the king.

"Have you received anything at all about his whereabouts."

"No sir."

"I can't wait any longer. Get a regiment of hussars, tell them to find him. "

"Yes my lord."

 _Belfort, France_

Hiccup and his troops were now massed in the captured french city, the largest army any viking kingdom had massed. He had taken the town of Belfort over 3 days ago and the French refused to chase after him. Hiccup was now growing impatient that the enemy had not moved against him. Astrid ,however, wasn't surprised at the enemy's lack of movement. The war had been going on for a year now and for the amount of battles they had been in, Hiccup remained undefeated.

The British army and a portion of the French army will held up on the Rhine river, guarding the passage into france. Another French army under the command of the king of France was well on its way towards Belfort. The dragon scouts watched their movements closely and when they could harassed them with a quick attack. Even though the riders knew of the army's location they hadn't reported back to the king yet.

Hiccup, Astrid, and Gustav were gathered around a table at field headquarters for the army. On said table was a map of France and the surrounding area..

"If we are gonna lure the French and British army off the Rhine, we'll need to attack their southern lines" Hiccup said.

"My lord, with all do respect, wouldn't it be smarter to just send in the cavalry to lure them out of their lines, leaving the bridges undefended."

"That could work gustav, but I don't want the cavalry walking into a possible trap undefended. I think we move the entire army right here, towards their center. We use the cannons and dragons and force them out of their defensive positions. We engage them in the fight long enough for the Polish to cross the river and surround the southern flank."

"That is a good idea Astrid."

"Agreed, lady Astrid."

"I want to split the army up though, Astrid since this is your plan you'll be using the most troops. You'll be attacking the center with fifty percent of the army. Gustav and I will focus on the south with the remaining troops. Get me a list of regiments, brigades, or divisions that you want with you on my desk by tomorrow. I'll try to give you the best I can but me and Gustav are gonna need elite troops as well."

"I'll have you that list by tonight."

"Good. That should wrap up this meeting, you two grab something to eat, we will meet again at sundown."

"Yes my lord" the two of them said in unison.

Astrid and Gustav walked out of the town hall, they looked around the wall watching the king's guard on patrol.

"The king, he feels off to you as well?"

"Yeah a bit, I think he is coming down with something. Hiccup overworks himself all the time and this is the result."

"You're close to him aren't you?"

"Yeah, he is my best friend."

"I think you are more the just friends my lady. I've seen the way you two look at each other. There is love between the two of you I can tell."

Astrid blushed at the marshall's words.

"Relax my lady, there is no need to be embarrassed. Now I am curious about life on Berk before this war began. Care to tell me over lunch?"

"Ok."

 _Fifty miles north of Belfort_

Louis and 200,000 of the kingdom's finest were on their way towards the captured city. He now had a major opportunity to end the war with the capturing of the Berkian king. Louis knew of the secret deals between the boy king of Berk and Savoy, Savoy would be dealt with later. His spies in the small country also reported that they were allowing supplies to the Berkian army to pass through. This enraged the Sun king even more but Savoy could wait.

His army consisted of the most elite troops of France but because of his constant wars, he couldn't pay the debts he owed his men. Louis promised his men that anything that they ransack is theirs to keep. The core of the army was the troops that the nobility sent from their estates. Louis's cannons were also a major threat. Like Hiccup, Louis spent time perfecting the cannon and now he was ready to put his latest gun to the test. The French cavalry were also present outnumbering the Berkian horses 2 to 1.

"My lord, are you sure attacking Belfort is a good idea."

"An mon amie, we aren't attacking the Berkians, we are just drawing them out. There is no doubt in my mind that the young and ambitious King Hiccup will chase us. We will let them chase us, thin out his supply lines, and burn the land that way he can't live off our land."

"His army is a lot smaller, he will catch us eventually."

"I know, and that's what I plan on Jacques. He will regret invading."

 _Savoy_

The threat of the French invading was mounting and many of the Savonese armed forces were pressuring the King to join the war now on the side of Berk. Count Victor was one of these men. He had gathered as many troops as he could and set out for Belfort with the polish cavalry.

 _Belfort_

"So the mighty Carolus Rex was a runt?"

"Yeah, that's what they called him. I didn't bully him like the others but at the same time I didn't help him. To me that's as bad as bullying him."

"So what happened, did he all of a sudden become the man I know now."

"No, he met Toothless, his dragon. He had friend in the form of a dragon, the thing us vikings killed. His only friend was an animal."

Gustav looked at the young girl, she held her head in shame.

"If I didn't follow him to Toothless he would of ran away."

"What did you do to stop him."

"I was gonna rat him out to his father and he chased me down to stop me. Then he took me on a flight and changed my view on the world."

"And that's the moment your true feelings for him came ahead."

"Yeah, they did. For two years I suppress my feelings for him. I built walls and he was the cannon ball to break those walls."

"You two are meant for eachother. You've told me your parents were killed when the war began so when the day comes, I will walk you down the aisle since your father is no longer among us."

Before Astrid could say anything a dragon rider ran up them out of breath.

"A French... army is... is on their way... fifty miles north."

Astrid's and Gustav eyes grew wide at the soldier's report.

"How far are they from here?"

"Fifty miles from here... closing in fast."

"How large was the army?"

"Large, enough to outnumber us 2 to 1."

The two of them didn't waste any time running to where Hiccup was. Hiccup was laying down next to Toothless. His eyes were closed, dreaming about a world the war was over. He was woken up from said dream with a door slamming open.

"Hiccup, we have a army inbound. We need to get the troops moving."

"I agree my lord. If we stay here we will be cut off from supplies and reinforcements."

Hiccup looked at his two generals in shock.

"Okay, get my horse saddled. We will ride to meet them."

"Yes my lord."

Gustav took a quick glance at Astrid and nodded as he made his way out of the town hall.

"Astrid, I want you take the lead. Your men will be in front the army. I want you to find good ground that we can hold. We can't engage them offensively, only defensively."

"Don't worry H, I will find us great ground."

Hiccup smiled at her but his smile fell when he remembered the last time he sent one of his friends to fight a battle by themselves.

"Hiccup, I'll be fine. Heather's death was unfortunate, yes, but she was outnumbered 6 to 1."

"I know. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Hiccup, I've lost a leg, only thing worst then that is losing my life."

"Which is what I'm afraid of."

Astrid walked over and kissed the top of his head.

"What was that for?"

"That's is for just in case I do get killed and this-" she leaned down and kissed him on his lips. "is for everything else."

Astrid saluted and walked out of the town hall to get her troops ready.

"She really is something else bud" Hiccup said to his dragon.

Hiccup made sure Toothless' tail was set in solo flight mode.

"Be safe up there, please."

Toothless gave a comforting warble and walked out of the building. Hiccup made his way over to the chair that had his uniform on it. He put on the red coat and put his hat on top of his head. Hiccup had told is terror Sharpshot to take his crown back to Berk, not wanting it to get destroyed in the field battle.

 _Outskirts of Epinal, France two days later..._

Astrid and 30,000 soldiers were setting up their defenses around the city. Astrid had chosen the town because of the hill overlooking the city. Not only that, the road the led to Belfort was bottlenecked through the city. Two different series of hills surrounded the road. Astrid's plan was to hold these hills and draw them into an uphill battle. She knew that she couldn't hold these hills by herself so reluctantly she had sent some troops ahead through the town and had them hold the road into town. Gustav was still a good four hours from the town so she had to hold for a while.

It was 6:30 in the morning and a thick fog lay on the field in front of the troops guarding the road. Astrid was with those troops, 4,000 of them as well as six cannon.

"Good morning general Hofferson."

"Good morning John how are you?"

"Good sir. You smell that sir, that's the smell of an upcoming battle."

"Yes I do. Will we survive, I do not know."

A soldier on dragon back rode up to them.

"General Hofferson, French soldiers have been sighted. It's a small column of troop, no more then 2,000 troops. They have no idea that we are here sir."

"Good, have the men lay low until they get close enough."

"Yes sir."

"Everybody get down, make no sound" John said.

The troops laid down in the grass or behind the small fence they were stationed at. The only people that still stood were the six men who were supposed to fire the cannon. Minutes felt like hours as the French troops marched in formation down the road, no idea that the Berkian troops were waiting for them. Astrid watched them as they marched towards them, nervously she looked back at her cannons who were still silent.

"They are in range now sir."

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

The cannons fired the shells landing in the French lines. The officer in front of them was nocked off his horse and a few of the men behind him were killed. Another shell hit a piece of the fence that was alongside the road causing it to break. The French used this opportunity and began to pour through the fence.

"Fire at will" Astrid yelled.

Her soldiers stood up and fired at the French soldiers who were trying to get into a line. They fell by the dozens as the lead shots hit them. The French officer told them to hold and they began to ready their muskets.

"Ready!"

"Aim!"

"Fire!"

The French soldiers fired but did little damage against the Berkian troops. One of the cannons fired back tearing a hole in the French lines. Another volley from the Berkian troops forced the French to retreat. Astrid took out her telescope and watched the road, there were more French troops marching up the road.

"Your orders sir" asked John.

"Have Charles tighten the line, right now we are too loose. There are more boys in white coming, get ready."

"Yes sir."

Astrid moved to get on her horse, her staff soon followed.

"John, I'm going to go to that tower right there and look for Gustav."

"Yes sir, I'll hold the line for you."

Astrid gave him a quick salute and rode off.

* * *

General Jacques had just arrived on the field, the sound of cannons had woken him up.

"General Jacques I'm glad you are here."

"What is going on Francois?"

"When we marched into the town, we though they just some brigands trying to make a name for themselves. Turns it out its a small element of the Berkian army. I sent in a couple of regiments but they held."

Jacques looked at the field in front of him. He saw the Berkian colors waving in the distance.

"Do not fret my friend, with the amount of the troops we have converging on this town. The Berkian army will be destroyed."

"I understand."

"Now, continue the attack, I'll lead some of the other troops that are now arriving."

"Yes sir."

The French troops continued to arrive by the thousands, a sea of white marching towards the small town.

* * *

Astrid arrived at the tower in the city. Once she was at the top she took out her telescope and looked around for any sight of Gustav.

"Do you see anything sir?"

"No. Alright boys I'm heading back down."

She climbed down the tower's steps and got on her horse. Soon enough she arrived at her lines.

"Where is John?"

"He got hit by a stray bullet. He's dead sir."

Astrid didn't react, she just looked at the incoming French troops.

"We must continue to hold until reinforcements arrive."

"Yes sir."

The officer ran over to some of the troops who were holding the wall. Astrid got off her horse and watched her men continue to fight. Behind her Charles had brought one of his regiments from the right flank.

"Alright boys fall in to them!"

The soldiers ran to where the rest of the troops were, aiding them in their fight. They fired a volley at the French soldiers who were continuing to attack them. Astrid felt the ground shake as French cannons began to fire at their position. Gun smoke had replaced the fog at this point. An hour had passed since the battle began and the Berkians had not given an inch. Astrid knew her men were gonna be running out of ammunition soon.

"Charles I'm heading back to the tower."

"Yes sir!"

Astrid got back on her horse and galloped back into the town. Once she reached the top of the tower she took out her telescope. She pressed it against her eye and looked around for any sight of Gustav.

"Perhaps we should get some of our troops guarding the hills to aid in the defense."

"No, if there is anything that we need to hold it would be those hills."

"Sir I see Marshal Gustav."

The officer pointed to where he saw him and Astrid looked to where he was pointing with her telescope. It was if god came down and saved her, there riding his horse was Gustav.

"Finally" Astrid said.

Gustav rode up next to the tower calling Astrid.

"It took you long enough Gustav."

"I wanted to keep you waiting though lady Astrid."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming down."

The two of them and their staff rode to Berkian lines. Their condition was worsening as the battle raged on.

"Good thing I got here when I did. I don't think your men can hold much longer."

"Yeah, I don't think so either."

"Good thing I have the good line infantry."

"I'm not gonna say anything about that. Anyway I'll say here and watch the fighting, try and push them back and delay them so my men can finish building defenses."

"Understood. I'll leave a few regiments here and a few guns to help you. Have your men get resupplied."

Astrid nodded and looked towards the tired Berkian soldiers. She looked back towards Gustav but he was already gone. His presence was replaced with that of fresh Berkian line infantry and supply wagons.

* * *

Gustav rode for a bit until he saw some French troops marching.

"Have the men get into battle formation. We have some company."

"Yes sir."

The regiments started forming lines and readied their guns.

"Men of Berk, forward!"

"Orders!"

"March!"

The drums of war began to beat again as the troops marched in unison. The French soldiers soon saw them and rushed to get into their lines.

"Fire!"

Berkian troops fired a resounding volley, killing or wounding scores of men.

"Fire!"

The French fired back but didn't do as much damage. Gustav rode behind his lines and watched his men firing at the enemy. They held their ground as more and more French troops arrived to take them out. Gustav needed better ground to continue the fight. His eyes landed on some fences behind the French troops.

"Charge!"

The Berkian troops screamed as they charged the French troops. Bayonets sparked as they clashed with each other, men screaming in pain as they were stabbed or shot at from point blank. Overwhelmed and lack of training, the French troops began to run from the Berkian troops.

"Hold the line here, I must go inform General Astrid of our situation."

"Yes sir."

Gustav galloped back to where Astrid was, hoping her line hadn't collapsed.

* * *

Astrid knew even with the fresh troops arriving by the hundreds she couldn't hold forever. The Berkian cannons were doing good work by ripping holes in the French lines. Astrid was on horseback, not the best idea, but she needed to see the battlefield.

"Astrid!"

She turned her head to see Gustav riding up to her. She was about to call out his name but was stopped when a cannon ball landed next to her. Spooked, her horse bucked her off causing her to hit the ground hard. A soldier ran up to the horse to calm it down while Gustav jumped off his horse to see if she was alright.

"That hurt" she said.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"You have bad luck when it comes to cannons."

"Yeah I've noticed."

Gustav extended his arm out and Astrid gladly took it. He helped her off the ground and the two of them looked at the incoming French troops.

"We must hold as long as possible if we want to make sure our defenses will be strong when Hiccup arrives."

"I know. Where is general Reynolds?"

"He just arrived. I told him that he'll be reinforcing your position. I want your men to fallback into town and create a second line of defense."

"Okay, just promise me you won't die."

"Lady Astrid, this is war. Dying is unfortunately part of war."

Astrid nodded and look back towards her men.

"Alright boys we are falling back. Let's move!"

What remained of her troops from when the battle began, ran for the protection of the town. Astrid got back on her horse and looked at Gustav. They saluted each other and ran off to where they were headed. Gustav watched as new troops filled the gaps that Astrid had left. Then his focus was on the incoming French troops.

"General, we must hold the line for as long as we can."

"Yes sir."

Gustav watched as his men continued to fire at the French troops attempting to get them off the fence.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. sorry I didn't get this out sooner, the holidays were the holidays so you know. Can't wait for httyd 3 to come out, I'm excited. This part of the battle was inspired by the real life battle of Gettysburg which was the deadliest battle ever fought on American soil. I also though it was a good idea to bring Astrid and Gustav together. Gustav is much older then the riders so he see Astrid as a daughter. I'm sure I'll explain his backstory in a later date. Another reason why I haven't been posting as much recently is because I'm working on a project and that's taking a lot of my time up nowadays. - Dilloncoll**


	22. Battle of Epinal Part 2

To say Gustav was exhausted was an understatement. He had woken up early and got his men moving earlier then expected. Gustav did this so he could make sure he would be able to get to Astrid in time. Now he was somewhat regretting that decision. He was taken out of his thoughts when a cannon ball stuck the ground near him.

"Sir, perhaps we should get you somewhere safer."

"No, I must lead my men into battle."

A rider landed next to him bringing urgent news.

"Sir general Reynolds was killed sir. Struck in the back of his head. Your orders sir?"

"Have general Albert take his position. He must continue holding them there."

"Yes sir."

The rider took off to go find Albert. Gustav was about to give more orders but another rider landed next to him.

"Sir, French soldiers have been sighted marching from the west. We are almost completely surrounded."

"Sir, the first few elements of the 2nd division has arrived."

"Have the 2nd division head west of town. Have them hold of those French troops."

"Yes sir."

The Berkian banner flew high as the regiments began to march west.

"Send a message to general Astrid. Tell her to abandon her second line of defense. I want her to retreat out of the town entirely."

"Yes sir."

Gustav looked back towards the north where the French had first arrived. They had attempted to charge but it quickly fell apart as the Berkians fired their shots.

"Marshall Gustav, a letter from the king."

"Read it to me."

"Gustav, you are to hold the line until 2 o'clock. You have delayed them long enough, once the time comes you are to retreat through the town, but don't go into a full retreat. You are to redeploy on the hills southwest of town."

"Reply to him. Tell him that Astrid isn't going to have enough time to build adequate defences."

"Yes sir."

"Colonel, stay here. I'm going to the west and see what we are up against."

"Yes sir."

Gustav's second division wasn't as big as his first division which had slightly over 11,000 men. His second division had 10,000 troops but they weren't as well trained as the first division. Gustav knew an open confrontation with the french would end in a disaster.

"Sir, there is a dried out river bank. We could hold there and have good defensive cover."

"Indeed. Have the men stop when they get there. Private, hand me my telescope."

The young man handed him a telescope and began to look for the french troops. After a brief moment he saw the French flags, fluttering in the wind.

"Here they come, no more then 4,000. How many do we have here?"

"We only have the 1st brigade and elements of the 2nd brigade. Not even 2,000 men."

"Any cannon?"

"No sir."

"Damn!"

Gustav got off his horse and stood next to one of the colonels. He sighed, his forces were spread thin as French troops continued to pour into town.

"Any word from the king?"

"No he-"

"He hasn't arrived till now" Hiccup said getting off Toothless.

"My lord" Gustav said while he bowed.

"Quite the mess we have got ourselves in, isn't it."

"Indeed. My troops are spread thin all over this damn town."

"I know, I saw when we were coming in for a landing. Astrid, is she alright."

"I'm gonna assume my message didn't reach you, she is fine. Astrid is in town or should be on her way to the hills beyond it. I had her form a 2nd line of defense just in case, you know."

Hiccup just looked at Gustav, the normally energetic man stood there stoic.

"Where is the rest of the army?"

Hiccup was about to respond but a cannon ball cut him off. The explosion caused the two men to stumble before regaining their balance.

"They will be here later tonight, don't worry about a thing. Now, I am going to head over to the center and manage things from there. My orders from earlier still stand Gustav."

"Understood my lord."

The two men saluted each other and bid farewell. Hiccup took off and Gustav turned to look at the incoming French troops.

"They are in range sir."

"Fire!"

The Berkians stood up and fired their guns. Their lack of experience showed but they still did some damage. The French quickly responded with a volley of their own, the crackling of muskets filling the air as each one was fired. A few of Gustav's men fell but not as much as he would of thought.

* * *

Hiccup arrived in the center a few minutes later. Most of the men had gunpowder smeared all over their faces, their clothes covered in the black powder. He looked over at the cannons, watching as the man holding the ramrod dipped the clothed end into a bucket of water.

"The gun gets hot doesn't it."

The soldier looked up to meet his eyes with the king.

"It does my lord. If you don't cool these things down, it'll ruin your accuracy."

Hiccup nodded and let the poor soldier get back to work. Hiccup walked around for a bit watching his men pop up from their defenses to take a shot then crouching back down to reload. Some weren't as lucky as they were shot either before or after they fired. His attention went to the ground as flames licked the grass where cannon shells had hit.

 _Time has worn the soldiers down_

 _Marched for many miles_

 _In the eastern land so cursed_

 _Time to make a stand!_

Hiccup watched as more french troops replaced the ones his men had shot down. Hiccup looked back to the artillery captain who was looking through a telescope.

"Captain."

"Yes my lord."

"Have your guns limber up, fallback to the hills beyond town."

"Yes sir."

The captain turned around to him men and began shouting orders. Hiccup, meanwhile, walked over to where a colonel was standing.

"We must hold until the artillery is beyond the town and safe."

"Yes sir."

"My lord, general Albert is breaking. His men can't hold for much longer."

"Sir marshall Gustav reports he has begun his retreat."

Hiccup turned back to the cannons which had begun to move.

"Alright, we begin to retreat. However we must stay with the guns, we cannot afford to lose them."

"Yes sir."

The Berkians fired one more good volley and began to fallback.

"Toothless, take to skies bud. I'll meet you on the hill with Astrid."

Toothless cooed and took off. Hiccup walked over to the horse provided to him and got on. He drew his pistol and fired into the air. King Carolus will continue the fight.

On top of the hills Astrid watched her men build makeshift cover with trees and dig trenches. It was hard work but it was necessary. Astrid remained stoic as she saw some of the wounded come up the hill. She felt bad when the medics tripped on a rock and dropped the man the were carrying.

"Are you alright sir?"

"I'm fine, it's just… I think we gambled too much."

"You should give these men some rest. They are tired and haven't eaten yet."

 _The king has burned this nation's land_

 _Nothing to be found_

 _Hunger grasp the soldier's hearts_

 _20,000 men strong_

She turned back towards the town and took out her telescope. She saw panicked men marching through town, turning around to fire a shot, and reload while running. Her eyes rested on Hiccup was appeared to be shouting as the men continued to retreat.

"What do you see sir?"

"They are retreating, the town is in the enemy's hands now."

"The king is with them?"

"Yes. He should be fine."

Hiccup was not fine. He was panicking as his men retreated through the town. If Gustav was in a full retreat his right would be exposed, if Albert is in a full retreat his left was exposed. Hiccup looked over his shoulder, a regiment of berserkers were holding the line.

"You boys need to retreat, fighting is a death sentence!"

"We can hold them for a bit, just keep going my lord."

Hiccup sighed and urged his horse to continue to gallop. The men that stayed behind fought bravely but they were no match for the full might of the French army. The men in white broke through and continued to chase them down. One soldier had a shot on a man on horseback and he took it.

Hiccup was looking at some of the men who now ran in battle formation when he felt something hit his good foot. He hissed in pain but continued to lead his troops. Hiccup looked behind him and there was the king of France on horseback watching his troops fight.

 _Listen, excuse for a king_

 _Trust me this fight you can't win_

Hiccup urged his horse to move on. Soon enough they were out of the town and making their way up the hill. The french attempted to follow but a hailstorm of cannonballs stopped them from moving any further.

 _Poltava_

 _Rode to certain death and pain_

 _Poltava_

 _Swedish soldiers met their bane_

 _Poltava_

 _Sacrificed their lives in vain_

 _Poltava!_

The French troops moved back to the town, readying for the upcoming attack. King Louis was happy with the days fighting so far, but he wanted to take the high ground before the Berkians could rally themselves.

"Prepare an attack. I want these hills by the end of the day. I refuse to lose to a boy."

"Yes my lord."

A man in a British uniform rode up to the king, he was looking around the town, seeing the day's fight everywhere.

"Ah you must be the representative for the British army. I'm guessing your men are here as well."

"Yes I am, but my men are tired from such a long march from the Rhine. Where are my manners, I am Viggo Grimborn, former dragon hunter."

"Dragon hunter eh? Please join me for a drink so I can hear your stories."

"Sounds good. Tell me your highness, have you ever played maces and talons?"

The Berkian guns had fallen silent, waiting for the enemy to make the first move. As planned Gustav took the hills southwest of town where he would be reinforced by the remainder of his men and portions of the army Hiccup had. Astrid and her men had been reinforced by Hiccups troops as well. She made sure that they were able to either go to reserve or take a place on the defensive works.

Hiccup rode past some of the men who were with him in the town, they nodded and bowed respectively. Hiccup could only sigh and nod back. Even though this was the plan he couldn't help but feel defeated.

"My lord, the French are holding position. Your orders sir?"

Hiccup looked around, all the officers present looked at him. His eyes met with Astrid's who look concerned. He gulped and looked around him. His breathing had picked up pace and his vision began to go blurry.

"My lord, your orders?"

"I… I…"

"Hiccup?"

Hiccup couldn't speak, he was way too light headed to say anything.

"Hiccup are you alright" Astrid asked, fear in her voice.

Hiccup didn't say anything, he just looked at her. She could see that he was in pain. Even though they weren't good friends before Toothless, she could tell by looking in his eyes his emotions or condition.

"Hiccup, please tell us what's wrong."

Hiccup opened his mouth to speak but was cut short when he fell off his horse.

"Hiccup" Astrid yelled at the top of her lungs.

She ran over to him, he was on his back and breathing heavy. She picked his body off the ground and held him close. Officers gathered around the two, unable to do anything but watch. Some medics had rushed over to see what was going on.

"What happened?"

"I don't know we were asking him for what his orders were but then he collapsed off his horse" Astrid repplied.

The medics began checking all over his body for signs of injury. They more they searched the more desperate they got.

"Maybe he is tired, it was a very hectic battle."

"No, these aren't symptoms of exhaustion. If it were exhaustion we would have all passed out by now."

Astrid was getting worried, for all she knew Hiccup could be dying in her arms.

"We have to find out what's wrong with him" she started. "If he dies Berk will be-"

"Be without a king" Charles finished.

"Not only that, but to our knowledge he has no heir. Unless he got busy back in belfort."

Some of the officers chuckled knowing what Charles ment.

"Now is not the time to debate if Hiccup had a one night stand with a barmaid."

"Found something" a medic said.

"What is it? Was he shot?"

"Aye, he was shot in his right foot."

The medics took off his right boot revealing a bloody mess. A shot had entered through his heel and out the bottom of his foot. The medic holding the boot turned it upside down and out came a pool of blood.

"Ugh…" Hiccup moaned as he regained consciousness.

"Hiccup, Hiccup can you hear me."

"Mom?"

"No, Astrid."

"-strid" he slurred.

"You fool, why didn't you tell us you got shot?"

"Didn't want… to worry… you."

"Hiccup no matter what I worry over you."

The sound of hooves filled the air as Gustav and his staff arrived.

"My lord, what has happened to him?"

"He was shot during the retreat from the town."

"We can get him patched up but we need to get off the battlefield.

"Astrid" Hiccup whispered.

"Yeah? What's wrong."

"Lead for me… Win this battle… Go to… Rhine… help Jan across."

"I will. Just promise you won't stop fighting."

He was about to say something but the medics had put a drink up to his lips. He coughed as it went down his throat.

"What was that?"

"Wine, my lady. Some drugs as well. It's to calm him and numb the pain."

"Are you going to amputate his foot? He only has the one."

"If we can get him to safety where we can do our work in peace. He should be fine."

Astrid was about to say something but was cut off by a soldier running up to them.

"The French are on the march sir."

Astrid stood up, she was determined to win the battle for Hiccup.

"Have the guns open fire, make their trek horrible."

"Yes sir."

"Gustav get back with your men."

Gustav nodded, got on his horse, and rode off.

"Charles you're with me you are my 2nd in command on these hills."

"Yes sir."

"The rest of you, get to your regiments, prepare for a long fight."

They all nodded and ran to their units. The medics put Hiccup on a stretcher and made their way down the hill. Astrid and Charles walked along the lines watching their men get ready. On the road the separated the two hills was guarded by the king's guard and a few regiments of caroleans. There would be no way the french would get to their king.

The French marched through the hailstorm of cannonballs as they made their way to the hills. Climbing up the slope was a challenge, it was rocky which made climbing difficult. Not only that, the cannons were opening massive holes in their lines.

The Berkians remained steadfast as the French got closer and closer. As the cannons fired the trees rattled with the sound. One cannonball struck a tree which caused it to fall. It landed on top of some poor french souls but they couldn't stop to pick up their fallen comrades. The french began to fire at the Berkians who responded with their own volley.

"General, they are pushing hard towards the center."

"Give them hell" Astrid responded.

The Berkians fired another volley causing more and more to fall. The french tried to more forward a bit but were quickly stopped by a few cannonballs.

"Retreat."

The french slowly made their way back down the hill.

"Be ready" Astrid called out. "They are going to come again."

Charles looked a bit to his left and sure enough he saw them coming.

"Here they are, they're coming again."

The Berkians began to fire again riping holes into the french troops. The french began to fire back causing Berkians to fall as well. Both sides were exchanging blows but the French were taking the heavier ones.

"They are retreating again."

Astrid watched as the French retreated again.

"They are trying to draw us off this hill."

Charles watched the trees for any sign of movement. He held his breath as the field of battle grew silent. Only the soft crackling of muskets off in the distance. The Berkian banner flew proud in the wind as the troops waited for the next attack. Then an explosion rocked the lines.

"Incoming!"

"Get down!"

The troops hit the dirt as cannon shells ripped the defenders apart. Astrid covered her ears as the shells hit nearby. Her mind drifted to Berlin, where she lost her leg. She remembered waking up after a nightmare of Hiccup dying, similar to the one she had back in Danzig. Jan said tears were streaming down her face, he had tried to calm her down. She asked where Hiccup was and he told her that Hiccup was well on his way to Prague. Soon after she had fallen back into her deep sleep.

* * *

 _Berlin_

 _Astrid's eyes fluttered open as the winter sun entered the tent._

 _"Where am I?"_

 _"My lady, you were in a coma."_

 _She recognized that voice. The same nasally one that told her to trust him almost a year ago._

 _"Hiccup!"_

 _"The one and only."_

 _Astrid smiled and pushed her covers off. When she looked down at her feet she, her smile turned into a frown. Astrid put one foot down on the floor, followed by the metal one. She sat there looking at the metal leg where her real one should be._

 _"You got hit by a cannonball. It messed your leg up pretty bad. You were screaming in pain, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't imagine the pain you were in."_

 _"I don't remember getting hit."_

 _"You did hit your head hard."_

 _"Doctors said they had to amputate. Nothing they could of done to save your leg."_

 _Astrid said nothing and tried to get up but she lost her balance immediately. Hiccup caught her and pulled her back up._

 _"Baby steps. I'm here to help you. I promise, I won't leave your side. There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid."_

 _Astrid smiled and let Hiccup help her walk again._

* * *

Astrid was brought out of that memory by Charles who was looking quite frantic.

"General get up, the French are attacking again."

Astrid got back up and looked down the hill. The French were attacking again. She drew her pistol and stood next to one of her men. The Berkians fired at will once again but the French were putting up a good fight. The French were getting closer and closer and Astrid was getting concerned. A cannon next to her fired a canister shell which ripped a 12 man hole in the French line but they did not stop. Astrid fired her pistol at her shot made contact with a incoming soldier.

"Sir they are getting too close!"

Astrid was about to say something but she was hit by something causing her to fall down. The French tried to climb over their defenses but the Berkians prevented that with bayonet stabs and fierce hand to hand combat. The cries of men were filling the air as the fighting intensified. The lack of manpower was evident and the French began to retreat once more. Those that had gone over the Berkian defenses and survived quickly surrendered.

"General Hofferson!"

Astrid slowly got up with the help of some of the officers.

"Are you alright?"

Astrid began to look over herself for wounds but saw nothing. That was the case until she looked at her sword. Towards the end of her blade was a dent, a dent that could only be caused by a musket ball. Astrid let out a small chuckle at the sight of the sword.

"I'm fine."

"Sir we are running low on ammo. We only have enough for one more attack."

"Then we hold for that attack."

"Here they come again" Charles said.

Gunshots rang out as the French continued their way up the hill, stepping over the bodies of the previous waves. The Berkians fired back, doing as much as they could with the low supply. The French kept getting closer as it began raining bullets on them. Astrid fired her pistol killing a man that was close to the line. She then drew her sword and readied for hand to hand combat. The French jumped the downed trees and began the melee combat. Astrid blocked a bayonet stab and knocked the man out with a swift kick to the head. Astrid then blocked a sword strike from a French officer. He then tried to stab her but Astrid was fast. She side stepped and slashed him in the chest.

It looked like the Berkians were about to lose but reinforcements arrived, doing what they could to help the fight. Astrid got distracted and felt the wind knocked out of her lungs as she was tackled. The man stood over her, sword pointed at her chest.

"Surrender, and I might spare your life."

"Never!"

"That's a shame, you would've made a good mistress."

The man laughed and was about to stab her but was stopped when a purple blast hit him. Astrid looked from where she was on the ground and saw Toothless with his teeth bared. She smiled at the dragon who smiled back.

"You are something else."

Astrid stood up and watched as the French began to retreat down the hill. Night began to fall and guns began to fall silent. Astrid walked over to the dragon and leaned up against him. She was out of breath and tired.

"Thank you... for saving... my life."

Toothless warbled and brought Astrid down with up. Her head was on his saddle, comfy, no wonder why Hiccup liked this saddle.

"My lady are you alright."

"I'm fine. Just get me something to drink."

"Yes sir."

Astrid watched Charles go, then look back at the dragon. He was fast asleep and soon Astrid joined him.

* * *

 **Take this chapter as you will, im sure the Sabaton fans out there can recognize this one. The song used was the 1st half of Poltava. I feel like I should mention this because, reasons. If you are a fan of Sabaton or have just listened to the Carolus Rex album, I ask of you not to spoil the story. I have been thinking on doing a sequel once everything is said and done. If you guys want to see one there will be a poll going up today. Also someone pointed out to me that I had hiccup meeting Rommel at two different points so I fixed it. A simple character change and some new dialogue. I also changed the summary because I suck at them and wanted to make it better. Also have you read the fanfic about Hiccup be a British soldier and Astrid a barmaid. As a history nerd I love it and implore you to take a look at it. Readcoats and Rebels it's called. -Dilloncoll**


	23. Battle of Epinal Part 3

**Thank you for all your support. Rise of a King is the most viewed story I've written. I've been taking a look back at how far I've come since I first started writing at the ripe age of 12. God I was awful. A lot of unfinished stories that honestly deserve another chance others should go burn in hell. Who knows maybe once I'm down with Rise i'll go back to Wrestlers. But that depends on if you want a sequel. Anyways to the story.**

* * *

 _Gustav's line_

The fighting was fierce as Gustav held on to what little he had left. The french had sent four waves of troops at him and so far no succeeded. Gustav knew another attack would destroy his lines so he had to come up with something.

"Sir, what do we do."

"I…"

"Here they come" Albert said with a heavy sigh.

"Alright here is what we are gonna do. Albert you take the left, Winston is on the right, I'll take center. What we are going to do is risky but we stay here we lose and the entire army is flanked. We are gonna charge down the hill but we are going to swing like a door."

"As we charge?"

"As we charge."

Gunshots rang out as the french began to fire.

"Does everybody understand?"

"Yes sir" the officers responded."

"Move."

Gustav looked back towards the incoming french soldiers in the waning sunlight.

"Bayonets!"

The men began to put their bayonets on their guns. Those who were in reserve were moved to reinforce the line and began to fix bayonets.

"Bayonets at the ready!"

The men held their guns in the charge stance.

"Left wing, right wheel!"

"Right wheel!"

"Charge!"

The trumpets blew and Albert yelled to charge. The men began running down the hill, screaming.

"Charge!"

Gustav and his men began charging down the hill, running towards the french. The enemy continued to fire but as the Swedish troops got closer they began to run. Some stayed behind, brave to face down the horde of Swedish troops. They weren't lucky, some were slaughtered as soon as they bayonets clashed, others put up a small fight.

Those who tripped were immediately captured. Those that attempted to get back up were stabbed in the back. Gustav continued running for a bit until he came across a french officer, pistol aimed at his chest.

The two of them stared at each other, neither of them making a move. Then the french officer pulled the trigger.

*click*

Empty. The french officer just stood there looking at Gustav. Gustav shook off the last few moments and aimed his sword at the man's chest. He dropped the pistol and threw his hands up in the air. Gustav let out a breath of relief once some of his troops arrived to take this man into custody.

"Let's get you in cuffs friend."

Gustav left them to do their job, as he walked he saw more and more bodies. Eventually he stopped to take a look at the setting sun. He felt something move behind him, cautiously he turned around only to see Astrid's dragon.

"Now why are you over here? Is she alright?"

The blue dragon chirped which gave him some reassurance but wasn't convinced. She nuzzled him and motioned him to follow her. Reluctantly he did.

* * *

 _Medical camp_

Astrid had just gotten to the camp and already she regretted it. The wounded lie everywhere, crying in pain. Astrid took off her hat in remorse as she entered the tent. Once inside the stench of blood and death filled her nostrils. It took all her willpower not to gag, watching men get their limbs chopped off, eyes being removed. It was horrible.

"Excuse me."

"Oh sorry" Astrid said, stepping out of the way of two medics carrying in a man with a very bloody arm.

"Oh god."

"General Hofferson, are you here to see someone."

"Yes, the king."

"This way."

Astrid followed the medic to the back of the tent, along the way she saw more medic and surgeons doing their jobs. Then her eyes landed on Hiccup. He was on a bed, draped in the Berkain colors. The medic was saying something to her but she blocked him out. She ran over to him and grabbed his hand.

"Hiccup…" she whispered

 _Broken dreams so grand_

 _Sing of his final stand_

 _Long live Carolus_

 _Brought by soldiers hand_

 _Back to the fatherland_

 _Long live Carolus Rex_

"He died a bit before you got here. He wanted me to tell you that he is sorry."

Tears were flowing out of Astrid's eyes. It felt like she just lost everything.

"He also wanted me to tell you that…"

"What?"

"He did some bad things in Prague. He wanted me to tell you not to forgive him for his actions."

"I don't care about his actions."

Through blurry eyes, she looked at him. His face was calm, the pain that this war brought him was over.

"No word. The men can not find out of his death."

"Yes my lady."

The medic walked away leaving Astrid alone with the fallen king. Her tears began to fall onto his cheek. Astrid looked at him hoping the fairy tales her mother told her as a child her true. She leaned down and kissed him, seconds went by but nothing happened.

"Astrid?"

Astrid looked around to see who said that.

"Astrid?"

"Who's there."

"Astrid."

Astrid's lines

"Astrid!"

* * *

Astrid woke up to see Gustav crouching over her.

"Gustav? What… how.. Where am I?"

"Your still on the hill. Your exhausted, you need some rest."

"I was resting."

"I ment actual rest, where do you don't get any nightmares."

"Hiccup!"

"Is fine. I went down there after your dragon came over to me. He'll be fine, we were talking. Drugged out of his mind but fine."

"I'm going down to see him, come on Toothless."

Gustav was gonna say something but it would be useless in the long run. Astrid wanted to see the young man and there was nothing he could to stop her.

* * *

 _Medical Camp_

"Hey."

"Hey."

Hiccup smiled at the sight of the blond hair viking. His foot was in pain but the bleeding had stopped. The surgeon's said he was gonna be fine and that's he'll be back on his feet in just a few days. All of sudden Astrid punched him in the gut."

"Ow!"

Astrid just stood there next to him, blank expression."

"Why would you do that?"

"That was for scaring me."

Then she slapped him.

"And that was for everything else."

Hiccup rubbed the side of his face she had slapped.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was that bad."

"For the love of- Hiccup you were struck by a bullet."

"Yeah I can see that. I'm alive everything is fine."

"No everything is not fine, you could've died. Hiccup what is going to happen if you die huh? What is going to happen if don't have an heir? Will the kingdom fall apart?"

Hiccup knew where she was going at. Though he hated to admit it, she was right. Without an heir Berk would dissolve into a civil war. Every side trying to put their son or daughter on the throne.

"You don't have an heir do you?"

Astrid looked at him, her eyes painting him a picture.

"Oh god Astrid, no. Why would you say that?"

"There was rumor going around that you got busy back in Belfort."

"No, Astrid, No. The only woman I saw back in Belfort was you."

"If I recall, I wasn't climbing in bed with you and lying down for you."

"That's not what I meant."

Hiccup sighed sitting up in his bed.

"It's just, I want to do what's best for the men, but at the same time you're right. I should be thinking of the future of the kingdom more. I'm sorry."

"Hiccup…"

The two of them looked at each other, not since Berlin they had this time to themselves. Hiccup saw a few stray tears rolling down her cheek. He brought his hand up to her face and wiped them away with his thumb.

"You had another nightmare again, didn't you?"

"Yes. This time it was so much realer. I smelled the stench of death, I could hear a voice singing a song. I couldn't recognize them though but i could hear what they were singing. They sung about your final stand."

"Astrid, if I am gonna have a final stand, it'll be on Berk. Not in some random french town."

Astrid smiled at the young king, his eyes showed suffering but he would never admit it. Hiccup began to get up from the bed.

"Oh no you don't dragon boy. You are gonna stay here until that foot of yours heals."

"Astrid I can still ride a damn horse and a dragon. Like or not, you aren't gonna stop me from leading my men."

"I know and that's what's getting me mad."

* * *

 _French camp_

"So Viggo tell me. Why are you with the British army. Shouldn't you be on the side of Hiccup Haddock."

"I hate the man and his dragon loving ways. They are animals and should be treated as such. Just like those savages in the New World."

"You've been to the America's?"

"Yes, for a brief while. It's where I met my boss. That's not the point of the story however. While I was in America I had met a recruiter for the British army. He said it paid well and if I do good and get promoted to an officer rank, I could find myself with a lordship in the near future."

"Interesting. So do you have a plan to defeat this Hiccup Haddock?"

"Indeed I do. Hiccup, from what I've seen is a very cautious man. Not like his staff, they are the aggressive ones. Hiccup should be the prime target for our men, knock him out of the fight. This would leave the roll of leader to one of his men and we lure them out into a death sentence."

"I like that, but don't you think he'll see that coming?"

"Yes, he is gonna stay behind his lines no doubt for sure. I think we should let the Berkians have this victory. We should rejoin with the men on the Rhine, no doubt that will be his next target."

"Agreed. General, tomorrow morning have the men ready for a march."

"Yes my lord."

* * *

 _Berkian lines, Morning_

Hiccup, ignoring Astrid's and the medic's pleas, was on horseback overlooking the town. It was a particularly windy day, a storm was brewing. That didn't stop king Carolus, he enjoyed the wind. His dark blue cape waved with the wind as he watched the sun rise. Astrid was behind him, coffee in hand.

"Windy day huh."

"Yeah."

"I brought some coffee, you want some?"

Hiccup nodded taking the cup out of her hand. He took a sip of the warm beverage, it comforted him as it traveled down his throat. His focus remained on the town, watching as french troops began moving about.

"The french are on the move Astrid. It looks like they are gonna abandon the town. Where are they going, I have no clue."

Astrid took out her telescope and sure enough she saw the french in marching formations.

"The Rhine" she whispered.

"What?"

"Hiccup they are gonna march for the Rhine. They are going to reinforce them, we have to stop them."

"Agreed. Get your men ready. Are they resupplied?"

"Yes."

"Good, have Gustav get ready as well." Astrid began to walk away. "Wait!"

"Yeah?"

"Tell Gustav he is to march through town. Pillage what he can, it should be enough to keep going until more supplies arrive."

"Okay."

"Godspeed Astrid."

Astrid walked down from where Hiccup was to go find Gustav. Over the night Snotlout and the twins re-joined them after going back home for a bit. So it was no surprise they were talking with the Swedish General.

"You know, Chicken would love to meet you."

"I'm sorry?"

"You haven't met Chicken. Best bird in the world. You know you should come to Berk and meet him."

"I'm sure Gustav would love to meet your chicken Tuff and Ruff but right now we have a war to win."

"And there is Astrid, ruining the fun like always."

Astrid sighed and walked up to Gustav.

"God help me. How do you put up with these two…"

"Idiots, it's hard to explain."

The smell of breakfast filled the camp as men woke up for the morning meal. Astrid watched as bacon and eggs were being cooked in the pan over the officer's fire.

"Smells good doesn't it. It's been a while since we had a half decent meal."

"Yeah. Wait, how did we get these supplies?"

"Your friend's brought them when the left Berk. There are foods from all over the kingdom. Have you eaten yet my lady?"

"No I haven't-"

"Oh come on! First Hiccup and now him" yelled Snotlout. "How come he gets to call you my lady."

"Shut it Snotface, unlike you both Hiccup and Gustav are gentlemen."

"I can be a gentlemen too."

"Yeah when pigs fly. Go do something other then trying to get an ass whooping from here to Berk and back."

"Yes ma'am" he replied, fearful for his life. Snotlout ran from where Astrid was, trying to put as many men between him and her.

"Well you certainly have a way with men."

"He is not a man, he's Snotlout. The most annoying perv in the entire world."

Gustav laughed, trying to keep his composure.

"Oh, Hiccup wanted me to tell you to get your men ready."

"Why?"

"The french are on the move. They are going to march for the Rhine, I know it."

"Alright then, I'll have my boys ready in no time."

Gustav began to walk over to his horse but Astrid stopped him.

"He also wants to to march through town. Loot what you can. Understood?"

"Yes, take care my lady."

Astrid saluted as Gustav rode away. Astrid ran over to her tent to get the rest of her uniform on. Like Hiccup her coat was updated with a dark blue cape that went from her shoulders down to her knees. Her old one was worn out had it replaced the night before. Looking the mirror, she smiled, blue looked good on her.

"General Hofferson, your orders?"

"Get the men ready, we are chasing the french down."

"Yes sir."

The officer left the tent leaving Astrid alone once more. Taking one last glance at the mirror ,she put her hat on and walked out to her horse.

 **Yeah this wasn't as long as the ones I've been putting out recently. So the French are on the move and Hiccup is gonna chase them down. How will this play in the grand scheme of thing? Only time will tell. Thank you all for the support, as I mentioned above Rise of a King is now my most view story and my longest one. I'm not the best at this so I'm surprised you all are sticking around. I am probably going to redo chapter one and make it better because I doubt it's getting a lot of you hooked. Enjoy your days - Dilloncoll**


	24. Battle of Poltava

**Sorry this chapter took so long, I explain in the A/N at the bottom.**

Gustav and his 20,000 men marched quickly to stop the French. Hiccup and his portion of the army was not too far south of him. The Berkians had lost 13,948 troops in the fighting yesterday, which weakened them a bit. Gustav wasn't worried though, the French sacrificed a lot in the fighting.

The scouts tracking the enemy army reported that a storm had slowed them down. After 3 days of chasing the French army, they finally caught up to them in the small town of Poltava, France. **(Not a real place btw. Poltava is in Ukraine.)** Gustav saw that the French were unprepared for a fight and wanted to attack, but a letter from Hiccup told him not to.

Wait until the army has arrived fully. Until then have your batteries unleash hell.

Those words, those damn words prevented him from launching an attack that could force the French army into an engagement they couldn't fight. At the same time he understood why the king wanted him to hold, if the entire army was present it would be a much easier victory.

It was night in Poltava, the French had an encampment on the other side of the forest. It was still within cannon range so Gustav went to go find Lewenhaupt. Gustav and his staff were drenched in rain, the storm over the town made maneuvering difficult.

"Lewenhaupt!"

"Yes sir?"

"The king wants to unleash hell on their position! Get your guns in position and fire at will!"

"Sir, with all do respect, this rain is going to make in moving these guns impossible!"

Gustav looked at Lewenhaupt, the lantern that one of his staff held lit the muddy field around them.

"Did you hear me sir?"

"Yes I heard you! Just get these damn guns in position!"

Thunder cracked above them, illuminating the sky.

"Yes sir! Get these guns moving!"

Gustav turned back to his staff. "Well let's not sit here! We will find ourselves sick if we stay out in this rain!"

"Sir, general Hofferson has arrived!"

"Alright, where is she!?"

"Your tent sir!"

Gustav nodded and rode off to find Astrid.

Astrid was soaking wet. She had just ridden through the storm to get here. Her 12,000 men were slowed down because of it. She heard the tent flap open to reveal the Swedish general, uniform soaked in rain water.

"Lady Hofferson."

"Gustav."

"Nice weather, isn't it."

"Oh it's lovely" she said sarcastically.

He laughed while he began to take off his hat. The water soaked through his hat and got his blonde hair wet. He slicked his hair back with his free hand and put his hat down.

"My troops have been slowed down. No doubt the rest of them are getting caught up in the storm."

"Yes."

"Did you get Hiccup's letter?"

"I did, Lewenhaupt is setting up the guns now."

A loud rumbling was heard silencing the two.

"Either that was our guns or the thunder."

Gustav picked up his pipe and lit a match. Astrid just stood there watching him smoke.

"I'm sorry, did you want a pipe."

"No I'm fine. I don't smoke."

More rumbling was heard and flashes of light was coming through the side of the tent. Voices were heard as well but were hard to hear because of the rain.

"I'll go see what's going on. You need your rest Gustav."

Astrid put her hat on and walked out of the tent. A soldier came running past her

"Hey!"

"Yes sir!?"

"What's going on!?"

"The guns are opening up, we've got ourselves a dual!"

Astrid rushed over to Lewenhaupt who was struggling to see anything through his telescope.

"I can't see a damn thing in this weather! Only can see the flashes of their guns and explosions!"

Astrid looked through her own telescope but like Lewenhaupt she couldn't see a thing.

"Fire!"

The cannon fired and an explosion off in the distance soon followed.

"Just aim where you see them firing!"

"Yes sir!"

"And get yourself someplace dry general!"

Astrid walked down the small path back to camp. As she walked she saw some of Gustav's men drilling, intrigued she watched.

"Ready!"

"Aim!"

The troops aimed their muskets in the air.

"Shoulder arms!"

The men brought their muskets back to their sides. Astrid smiled and continued her walk.

* * *

 _French camp_

The tired French troops we awoken to the sounds of explosions. The crews of their artillery got to their guns and responded, though it would do little damage. Viggo and Louis watched from their tents as troops began rushing around.

"This is merely a ploy. They are trying to get our men on their nerves. It won't work, soon Hiccup and his army will be destroyed by a true military force."

Louis could only nod at the British officer.

* * *

 _Berk Camp, Next Morning_

The sun rose over Poltava reveling a muddy field and a near destroyed French camp. Hiccup's barrage over the night did damage but the thought running through Berk's high command was _'Was that enough?'_

"Morale is high" Hiccup said, sitting on a chair. "Our troops are ready for this fight."

High command was meeting for the final time before the battle. Hiccup was briefing everyone on the plan before his troops marched out.

"Astrid will be leading half of her men and half of Snotlout's men. You two will be attacking through the trees. It's quick and distracting. Expect heavy resistance, if my reports are correct there will be an eighth of a mile of open ground. Be careful. Gustav, Ruff, and Tuff will be leading a flanking maneuver on their right. That attack will be mostly open terrain, but it will be lightly defended once the attack begins. Both attacks will have the guns backing them up."

"My lord, with all do respect, can I please switch partners."

"Yeah, there is no way I'm going to fight along Snotlout."

"Fine, Astrid you're with Gustav. The twins will be with Snotlout. I will be riding around to see how everything is going with the two attack groups. And please for the love of god, do not go off alone trying to gain personal glory. Do I make myself clear."

"Yes sir" everyone said in unison.

"Good. Time to get moving."

Astrid and Gustav walked over to where there horse were. The storm had left mist over the battlefield which gave the army perfect cover to march in. This battle would be Berk's true test of military might. Snotlout and the twins would have a little over 9,000 men in their attack. Astrid and Gustav had a combined force of 30,000 men. Snotlout and the twins had a total of 6,000 men for their attack. Hiccup watched as his officers left, turning to his aide he said "Help me get on my horse."

"Yes sir!"

Once Hiccup was on his horse he began to ride to the nearby hill but to his shock the nearby soldiers followed him. Both Astrid and Gustav saw this and rode over to the king. At first they thought it was a revolt but their cheers quickly changed their minds.

"Carolus! Carolus! Carolus!"

4,000 men and surrounded the Berkian high command chanting the king's nickname. Hiccup took off his hat and looked around him as more men joined the soldiers. Hiccup stuck out his right hand and started shaking the soldiers hands. He couldn't contain his smile, these soldiers would follow him to hell and back. Astrid and Gustav joined him in shaking the soldier's hands. Gustav turned to Astrid.

"I have served in the military for 30 years! Never have I seen a General loved by his men this much! Never have I seen an army so devoted to their king!"

"Hiccup is one of a kind Gustav! You'll get used to it!"

Gustav smiled and began shaking the soldier hands once again.

* * *

 _30 Minutes Later..._

Snotlout and the twins were waiting with their troops behind the Berkian cannons. Hiccup had told them to wait for the Berkian guns to give them some covering fire. The time was now 7:00, the mist still lay on the field. Then the Berkian cannons roared to life and fired at the French camp once again. It was only one volley though but Hiccup had deemed it good enough. Soon emerging from behind the cannons came Snotlout's infantry.

After a short march, Snotlout and his troops found themselves in the forest. It was quiet, too quiet.

 _In the shade of morning mist_

 _Advancing on their foe_

All of sudden bullets were striking the men. The French had troops in the trees waiting for them. Snotlout began shouting orders, worry laced in his voice.

"Fire back!"

The Berkian regiments fired killing a bunch of French soldiers. The French quickly responded killing or wounding 60 Berkians. The Berkian troops easily outclassed the French troops, their training was second to none. The french attempted to charge the Berkian lines but were quickly repelled.

"Ruff, Tuff, have your men push up. We need better ground!"

"Well who put you in charge" asked Tuffnut.

"Not the time idiot."

"I don't like your attitude Mr."

"Ugh! Just push!"

* * *

Astrid and her men were getting into battle formation, Gustav was already in formation. The two of them had open ground to cross but it was thought that it was undefended. Astrid rode up to Gustav who was talking with his staff.

"My men are ready."

"Good. Now we wait for the signal to attack."

They waited for the Berkain guns to fire. Minutes passed as the Berkian cannons remained silent. Then out of nowhere, Berk unleashed a cannon volley.

"Berkians, forward march!"

20,000 men began to march for the french defences. The ground was still muddy which made marching a bit of a challenge. Astrid and Gustav rode alongside each other, watching as their troops marched. No words were spoken, only the sound of gunshots in the distance were heard.

"We are getting close to enemy defenses, prepare yourselves!"

The french cannons began to fire at the incoming troops. One shot hit 12 soldiers, another shot hit 4. More and more cannons began to fire unleashing hell on the Berkian troops. Berkian guns responded attempting to help their troops.

Hiccup rode up behind the rear regiments, watching as his men are cut to pieces.

"Keep pushing boys!"

French and British troops lined up and fired at the troops. The berkian troops fell by the dozens as the lead poured into them.

"Fire back" Gustav yelled.

The berkian troops fired killing or wounding hundreds. Astrid's valkyries were now in position and fired, another hundred of troops fell. Astrid smiled as her troops fought on.

"Astird!"

She turned around to see Hiccup riding up to her.

"Astrid, keep pushing them. Take that ridge at all costs."

Astrid nodded and turned back towards the enemy. Hiccup was about to ride away but a cannonball hit the ground by his horse. His horse reared up and he fell off.

"Hiccup!"

Astrid jumped off her horse and rushed to his side. Grabbing him, she pulled him close, shielding him from the hailstorm of shrapnel. He moaned in pain, obvious that he had hit his head. One of his aids rode up to them, concern for the king showed in his eyes.

"Get him out of here, he wasn't ready to lead!"

"Yes sir!"

Astrid put Hiccup on the man's horse and he rode away. She ran back to her horse so she could lead her men.

 _Swedish forces stand alone_

 _King has left command_

 _Rule is left to lesser men_

 _Waiting for their chance._

"Private, listen, obey my command. The king has left me in charge. Tell the others what has happened."

"Yes sir!"

The two lines got closer as after each volley the Berkians would move forward. Gustav was growing increasingly worried as more and more of his troops fell.

"Keep moving we are almost there!"

An explosion hit the center of a regiment. The flag went down but was quickly picked back up by a soldier. Gustav looked to his right and saw Astrid yelling orders to the different regiments.

"General, the king has been thrown of his horse. He hit his head and removed from the battlefield. General Hofferson is now in command."

He nodded and rode over to Astrid.

"Lady Hofferson!"

Astrid and one of her staff members turned to look at him.

"Your orders?"

Astrid was about to say something but she was stopped when the staff member was shot in the chest.

"Continue the attack, we must take this position."

* * *

Back in the forest things were going bad. The fight had drawn in more troops from either side and the Berkain attack was quickly bogged down. Snotlout was feeling the pressure as more and more french troops came to fill the gaps.

"Sergeant fill that gap!"

"Yes si-" the man was shot.

Snotlout couldn't say anything, he just looked down in pain. Tuffnut was under heavy fire. His troops had not moved since the fight began and now he began to worry that they would be pushed back.

"Come on we need to push. Don't give them an in-"

Tuffnut stopped talking, he put a hand over his chest and felt something wet. He looked down at his hand, blood. He gasped, Tuff took a step back but he fell. His breathing rate increased and the world around him became blurry.

"Tuff!"

Ruffnut ran over to her brother, kneeling by his side.

 _Poltava,_

 _Rode to certain death and pain_

 _Poltava,_

 _Swedish soldier met their bane_

 _Poltava,_

 _Sacrificed their lives in vain_

 _Poltava!_

Snotlout looked over and saw his dying friend.

"Tuffnut" he cried hoarsely. "Dammit! Private, tell general Rehnskiold to move his troops for-"

Snotlout felt something enter his thigh. One of his staff members went to grab him but he too was shot. Another bullet struck Snotlout in the shoulder, this time he fell off his horse.

"Private… tell Hiccup…"

"General Jorgenson, the king is no longer on the field. He has sustained an injury."

"No, not both of us. Not all of us. Please god!"

"Notify Astrid… tell her, that I can not continue the attack."

"Yes sir!"

The private rode off to go find Astrid. Ruffnut held onto Tuffnut as he lay dying in her arms.

"I'm sorry, take… care of chicken."

Tuff smiled and took his last breath. Ruffnut let her tears fall, her brother died in her arms.

The troops with Astrid were trying their best at breaking the enemy's lines. They were beginning to lose hope as more and more French and British troops joined the fray. Astrid and Gustav still held on, their most elite units kept on fighting. Astrid saw the rider ride up them.

"General Hofferson, General Jorgensen has instructed me to tell you that we can't continue the attack. He has been hit, Tuffnut Thorston has also been hit."

"No we can't give up. We are almost there."

"Lady Hofferson! We continue the attack we lose more men. If they counter attack, we will not have an army to stop them."

"But the Rhin-"

"We can't help the polish if we sacrifice the entire army!"

Astrid looked around, she saw what was left of the attack. Gustav was right, Snotlout was right. She didn't know what to do. In her mind she was yelling at herself to keep pushing but in her heart she knew the battle was lost. Before she could give an order a bullet stuck her horse, killing it from underneath her. Gustav jumped off his horse and helped her up. They both looked at the enemy who were now moving towards them.

 _France's armies blocked their way_

 _Twenty thousand lost that day_

 _They bled the ground_

 _Peace they found_

 _There's no sign of victory_

 _King Carolus had to flee_

 _And leave the land_

 _Leave command._

"Lady Hofferson, my fight is over."

Gustav grabbed a musket off the ground. He took off his hat and placed it on top of Astrid's head.

"Take my horse," he handed her his sword, "take my sword and get out of here. I'm an old man, 50 years of age, my life is almost over no matter what. You are young, you have years to live. Don't go throwing it all away just for a stupid victory."

"But…"

"There are no buts Astrid. Now, you need to get out of here. I need you to stay alive. He… he needs you Astrid, you're the only one that keeps his sanity intact."

Astrid felt tears stinging her eyes. She saw him as the father she had lost when this war began, she couldn't lose him too.

"I know, I know. Just promise me you'll end the war for me."

Astrid got on Gustav's horse.

"Take care of her Traveler."

He smacked the back of his horse and it took off. The order to retreat was given but Gustav yelled something only his swedish core would understand.

"Min släkting vår tid är uppe. Vi gör vår sista ställning här. Om vi inte stoppar dem kommer vårt kungarike att kollapsa. Mina bröder måste vi hålla linjen. För att stoppa dem och avsluta krigets livstid. Långt liv Carolus !

2,000 caroleans held their ranks and continued to fire. Viggo was not deterred, his men smashed into their lines. The caroleans fought bravely, they gave Astrid and the troops much needed time to retreat.

Gustav fought to the death, killing any that stood in his way. Soon him and Viggo stood across each other.

"You know, I could let go and walk away from this. All you have to do is promise I won't see you on the field."

"Never" spat Gustav.

"That's a shame. I didn't want to have to kill you."

The two of them clashed blades. Gustav the experienced veteran held his own against the much younger Viggo. He bought the army time but was it enough? Gustav forced Viggo's blade back and went to stab him but Viggo was quick. Viggo aimed for Gustav's sword and knocked it out of his hand. Then he stabbed him. Gustav stepped back and collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

"I offered you money to stay off the battlefield" Viggo said, standing over the fallen general. "I have wealth beyond your wildest dreams. You know why?"

"Why" Gustav spat.

"Arms dealing. People get rich off war, so I needed a war so I could sell some weapons. There was no viking ship attacking a British ship, there was no British ship attacking a viking ship. I fabricated it all. Your king, he didn't die peacefully. He was poisoned."

Gustav looked up at the man in pure hatred.

"You… bastard."

"No genius. The more kingdoms that need weapons, the more profit I make. And now my little secret dies with you. Goodbye my friend."

Viggo stabbed Gustav in the chest. With what little he had left to give, he spoke.

"You will never win. All your… profits… they… they will amount to nothing… when my. King wins the war… and kills you."

"We will see."

Viggo deepend the stab, killing the Swedish general.

"Sir should we press the attack."

"No. They earned a small opening to recover a bit. Rally the troops, we will destroy what's left of the great viking army soon."

"Yes sir!"

* * *

 _The Forest_

A cannon ball struck another 10 Berkians, killing or wounding them. There was no point in continuing the fight but the Berkians there believed they continue the fight. The French began to charge but the Berkians kept their fire rate high. Cannon balls flew over the tops of the Berkian troops and hit the French troops. Eventually they gave up the charge and retreated back to their lines. Snotlout was doing his best at leading his men even though he was wounded. Rehnskiold had brought his troops up from reserve.

"General!'

Rehnskiold turned around to see a private ride up to him.

"What is it soldier?"

"Orders from General Hofferson. Retreat, reform back by the cannons."

Rehnskiold nodded and turned back to his men and gave the orders.

"Fallback!"

The troops looked back in shock. His troops were not involved at Epinal, they didn't know retreat was an order. Snotlout was placed on a stretcher and Ruffnut picked up her brother in her arms and began to walk behind the lines. The Berkian troops were not done fighting yet, they still fired. The French began to chase them but the Berkians made in difficult. As the French got closer, the Berkians increased their rate of fire. General Jacques was behind his men on horseback. The enemy was retreating yet they continued to keep up the pressure.

"Keep pushing them back. I want all these Berkians either dead or alive. Do you understand me colonel!"

"Yes sir!"

"Goo-"

A bullet entered the general's skull killing him instantly. The Berkian troops had created a smoke screen with the gun smoke, it was the perfect cover to retreat back to friendly lines.

* * *

 _Berk Camp_

Astrid and what remained of the failed attack had returned. As she looked around the camp, she saw a destroyed army, the same army that up till today was unbeaten. Astrid watched as officers struggled to walk, soldiers being carried in their coats. Her eyes landed on Hiccup who had bandages covering his forehead. He looked distraught at the sight of his broken army.

"Hiccup-" Astrid started.

"Not right now my lady. He…he is not in the right state of mind at the moment."

Astrid nodded slightly and was about to go find her officers until Ruffnut came walking up, Tuffnut in her arms.

"Oh Tuff." Hiccup cried. Hiccup ran over to Ruffnut's side. She was crying, he wouldn't after losing their sibling.

"He's gone."

Astrid covered her mouth in shock. Hiccup shook his head in disbelief. Then a few men came carrying a stretcher with Snotlout on it.

"Snotlout!"

Hiccup rushed over to his wounded cousin.

"They said it's mortal."

"I pray to god that is not the case."

"Hiccup, it's not your fault. None of it is. We just got bested."

The men carried Snotlout away to the medical camp leaving Hiccup who now had tears running down the side of his cheek.

"It is my fault" he muttered. "My friends, all of this, it is my fault."

The soldiers around him disagreed, all of him shouting no. One brave soul spoke up.

"We can gather ourselves. We can hit them again sir!"

The soldiers shouted agreements with the man but Hiccup shot them down.

"No, we have lost so many. I can not ask you all to march out there again and kill yourselves. Astrid where is Gustav?"

"Him and some of his men sacrificed themselves to save the army. I'm sorry."

Hiccup looked down in shame. One of his most trusted officers was either dead or captured.

"Astrid, prepare a defense with what little we have left. I need to think."

"Yes sir."

Astrid turned to her troops, of the 36,000 soldiers that followed her and Gustav, only a little over 18,000 came back. Snotlout and his forces were still returning, they fared better then Astrid but they took heavy loses as well. Berk had marched into Poltava with over 80,000 men, it was the afternoon and only 59,000 remained. Rehnskiold rode up to her, his eyes showed determination.

"Your orders my lady?"

"Reform behind the guns. Lewenhaupt will keep up the pressure for sure. We must hold the line."

A dragon rider landed behind her bearing good news.

"My lady, reinforcements are arriving from Savoy including a regiment of winged hussars."

"Good we need these troops. Anything else to report?"

"Yes, King Jan has made it across the Rhine. The battle here drew the majority of the troops off the Rhine. They will be behind the enemy in a few days."

Astrid smiled, even though it was darkest of hours for the Berkian army, there was still hope.

 **It was hard writing this chapter. For a solid 3 days I did not know what to write. It should of been simple, it's Hiccup's Poltava. His first major defeat but I didn't know how it would play out. It was hard to Thanos snap my main characters. In my mind I had a plan. I had faith in that plan. Hiccup and his army would march into Poltava triumphantly. They would start triumphantly but the plan would fall apart. Throw in some major character deaths here and there and done. It was the execution of it that had me struggling. I didn't want to kill Gustav but at the same time I wanted him to sacrifice himself. I just don't know where to go from killing him. That was the case until last night 1/14/2019. Gustav will be getting his own story, he deserves it. I've also decided that this story will get it's own sequel. I just don't know if I can write two stories at once. That is why I'm willing to do a Collab on the Gustav spin off story. If you are interested let me know, PM me and we can go over the details. Enjoy your day- Dilloncoll**


	25. Then the Winged Hussars Arrived

**It's been a while since I've done this but Answer to your reviews time!**

 **Guest: No Viggo will not become king of England, as cool as that would be.**

 **Guest #2: Yeah he is :(**

* * *

"Fire!"

Lewenhaupt guns fired at the incoming enemy troops. They needed to keep up the pressure so Astrid and Rehnskiold could form their troops up. The cannons made their mark as troops fell by the dozens. Astrid and what remained of her Valkyries formed their lines in front of the cannons. Beside them caroleans and other Viking regiments formed up.

"Fire when ready!" Astrid called out

The troops fired a volley into the incoming French and British soldiers. It did some damage but they still kept advancing. The Berkian cannons fired again ripping massive holes in the incoming enemy. Rehnskiold, being the bold man he way, saw an opportunity to flank the incoming troops. Taking a little over 400 men, he marched around their right flank and began pouring shots into their side. The Savoyard troops that had just arrived formed up the right of Astrid's troops. They also had a good angle into the enemy troops and began to fire. Soon they were deterred but Astrid knew they weren't done yet.

"Rehnskiold, they will come again, there is no doubt. How are you on ammo?" Astrid asked.

"We don't have much left, the men need to be resupplied."

A man on horseback rode up to them, the men the followed him waved Savoy's banner.

"My lady, Count Victor of Savoy. Me and my men are at your service."

"Well Count Victor you've come at the most perfect time. My men are low on ammo and exhausted. Can you fill the gap for Rehnskiold while his men resupply and rest up?"

"We will do our best my lady."

Astrid nodded and turned back to Rehnskiold. "I-"

"You want to counter attack and find Gustav."

"How did you-"

"He is a good friend of mine, met him back at the academy some 40 years ago. We joined the army together, we joined you and the king together. I want to find him too but knowing him we won't find him alive."

"We don't know for sure, but we have hundreds of our soldiers captured we need to rescue them."

"And I agree but if we counter attack now, we will lose what little we have left. We should wait for the polish to flank them before we make a move. For now we must fortify our position."

Astrid could only nod, turning her head towards the field she attacked earlier. Thousands lie dead or wounded and there was no way of getting them back unless they won the fight.

"Carl!"

"Yes my lady?"

"Pull up the reserves, have the riders reek havoc on them."

"Yes ma'am."

"Sir orders from the king, you are to hold position. Do not counter attack until king Jan can get his troops in position. On top of that Berkian and Savoyard reinforcements are en route to your position. I will return to the field soon and aid you in the fight."

Astrid nodded and turned back to the field of battle.

"The polish troops won't be here for another 2 days. We don't have enough men to hold out for two days."

"We have to. If we retreat we leave the battlefield in the hands of the enemy. We will leave here knowing that the army of Carolus Rex was beaten. To my knowledge this army has yet to lose a fight and I refuse to let this fight be the first. We leave here now, we allow the war to continue for another day. I will fight until I draw my last breath holding this ground. Now who's with me?" Astrid said, hoping she could rally the troops.

The officers around her saluted, placing their lives in her hands.

* * *

Viggo looked on as the Berkains held firm, it would be hard pushing the vikings off the hill.

"Sir, perhaps we should bombard them."

"Yes we should but will the guns do enough damage? The berkian guns are in a much better position then ours so by the time we get our guns into a good firing position, the Berkains would have time to do more damage."

"I understand sir."

"The only thing we can do is send our troops at them again. Tell your king to gather his forces, we are to attack again."

* * *

"I understand what your king said but we can not hold out here for much longer. They have sent wave after wave at us, lady Hofferson we must retreat."

"Count Victor with all do respect, I can not tell this army these 50,000 men to retreat from this ground. I can have the cavalry to dismount, I can have the wounded fight. I refuse to leave this ground."

"We have a little over 55,000 men, sir. 18,000 of them is mounted cavalry, 6,000 are artillery crew. We have a total of 31,000 infantry left facing off against, 46,000 if you include the Savoyard troops."

"Rehnskiold, I'm not leaving this ground."

"I'm not asking you to retreat. I'm asking to redeploy."

Astrid was confused at this, 'what did he mean by redeploy' she thought.

"I can take 10,000 men, my men, and march west and force them to chase me. While the chase me our guns could give them hell."

A soldier ran up to them with news Astrid needed to hear.

"General Hofferson, the commanding officer of the reinforcements is here."

"Tell him to come here."

"Yes sir!"

The man ran off to find the officer.

"As I was saying" Rehnskiold continued. "As they try to follow me have the guns fire at them, then i could turn around and destroy them."

"That's too risky, we would lose more then necessary."

A few officers rode up on horseback, they wore the Berkain uniforms and waved the Berkain flag but Astrid didn't recognize them.

"Are you the general of the reinforcements?"

"Yes I am my lady. General Aaron Rommel at your service."

"Rommel, aren't you the Prussian general that Gustav met?" asked Rehnskiold.

"Percesly, speaking of which where is your king and Gustav?"

"The king is wounded and resting at Epinal a few miles south. Gustav… his fate is unknown. He went missing after a failed attack earlier in the day. Now I have a question, what is a Prussian general doing in our army?" asked Astrid, a few officers mumbuled in agreement.

"Did you not hear of the treaty of Berlin?"

"No" responded Astrid.

"Well Prussia finally signed a peace treaty giving up its status as a sovereign nation. What was left of the Prussian military has been divided up between Poland and Berk. I was lucky to be sent here."

"Your telling me Berlin, Warsaw, Vienna, and Berk have been in a peace deal for the past 5 months."

"Yes."

"Does the king know about this?"

"He should of been notified. We can settle this at a later date but for right now we need to win this battle. The reinforcements I bring are 4 hours away, they are some of the best of the Prussian army."

Astrid was still skeptical about this. She didn't believe this man but if his words were true she couldn't pass up the troops.

"Mr. Rommel-"

"Please call me Aaron."

"Aaron, there is no physical evidence that proves your word. All you show is that you are in our uniform and flying our flag. For all we know this could be a trap by the french." The officers around Carl agreed. Then surprising them all, Hiccup landed on Toothless.

"Hiccup you should be resting."

"And let my army die without me, I think not."

"Your highness" Aaron said bowing his head.

"Rommel."

"Hiccup this man said that Berlin has agreed to a treaty, is this true?"

"Yes it's true Astrid. I just got the letter today. Our friend here is one of us now which is nice. Our troops will be well supplied now. It is getting late now and the French will attack in the morning. How is Snotlout, is he able to get on horseback?"

"Hiccup it has only been a few hours since you were forced to go to Epinal. His condition hasn't improved, in fact he has gotten worse."

"How so?"

"He… he's dying Hiccup. The wounds have been infected, I just talked with the doctors. He isn't going to survive the night."

Hiccup looked down at the ground. The facade that he put up the last few minutes had disappeared.

"Hiccup… you need rest, your hurt as well… please for all of us just lie down and rest."

"No I can't, not when you all are in danger. It's my duty as king to protect you."

"And I understand Hiccup but look at you, your head is wrapped in bandages, you can't walk properly."

"I haven't walked properly for over a year."

"Hiccup-"

"Astrid… I have lost too many I can't lose you as well."

Hiccup got up off of his dragon and limped over to Astrid and grabbed her hand.

"A year ago today my life changed forever. You followed me to the cove and I took you on the ride with Toothless. After the ride you kissed on the cheek, from that moment on I knew that I was in love with you. We admitted our feelings at Danzig when this war picked up. I was scared at Berlin, I was worried you wouldn't wake up. I can't imagine my life without you in it. You are the only one I want on the throne beside me. Make me the happiest man in the world and be my queen." By now he was on one knee looking up at Astrid you had tears in her eyes.

"Yes… yes Hiccup" she responded through the tears.

Hiccup smiled and kissed her. The men around them cheered as the two embraced.

"At any other moment we would throw a party but right now we need to win this battle."

"Rommel has a point, my lord."

Astrid and Hiccup finally separated but refused to take their eyes off of each other. The war had changed them, they gained scars but war was only fun if you got a scar out of it.

"Perhaps when we march on Paris, the king and the future queen could get married there."

"Agreed, Rehnskiold" Hiccup responded. He then turned to all of the officers around the campfire.

"Poltava has been a disaster. We can't continue a fight here. We must accept a defeat even with reinforcements."

"My lord we were caught off guard that's all. With the polish arriving in two days we can hold out."

"He is right Hiccup. We can fight."

Hiccup looked back at Astrid, her eyes glowed with determination.

"If we stay here we must defend until the Polish can arrive. Prepare defenses I want Lewenhaupt and his batteries in position before morning. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir!" the officers responded.

"Good, get moving."

The men dispersed getting their troops to build some earthworks. Astrid and Hiccup remained the two of them looking at each other.

"I'm hoping if we take Paris, France will surrender and soon after Britain."

"We could only hope H. By the way have you heard of the fleet known as the wolfpack."

"They have reached my ears, yes" said Hiccup.

* * *

Ever since that first battle almost a month ago, the wolfpack had sunk or captured 150 ships. Dagur quickly made a name for himself as a fearless leader and you know the whole deranged thing. The name wolfpack struck fear within the hearts of the British navy. If you were spotted by them, you would be dead.

The royal navy had put a bounty on two ships in the wolfpack, Night and Fury. Those two ships alone had caused more damage then the rest of the Berkian navy which only numbered 40 ships. The british economy had begun to falter and the ones most affected were the scottish.

The situation in the northern kingdom was getting tense as many political leaders were calling for scottish independence. Queen Anne, worried that the kingdom would break away had begun placing troops all over. This only angered the Scottish more.

The Berkians may have had something to do with the sudden wave of independence as King Hiccup and sent a few officers over there. Mala and Astrid's twin sister, Rosie were under strict orders by the king not to do anything drastic. They were there to help create an army of freedom fighters. Supplies were brought in by the wolfpack who captured what they needed off the coast of the island.

The two women didn't know that they were part of Hiccup's master plan. He needed Scotland to break away as it would provide a much needed landing point when the time came to invade. Astrid and Rosie weren't on good talking terms, not since before the war at least. When the vikings still fought dragons those two were inseparable but a change in family relations and one Hiccup Haddock had changed that. That is why Astrid never talked about her.

For right now she sat at her desk in Glasgow, a piece of paper on said desk.

Dear Astrid,

I know we haven't spoke with each other in about a year but it's time to change that. I miss talking with you and I miss hanging out with you. I'm sorry me, you, and dad fought but you know how he was, he just wanted the best for all of us. I'm sorry that I let Hiccup get in our way, I still like him, yes, but I'm willing to give him up to you if we could just talk again.

If he hasn't told you I'm in scotland. Me and Mala are on a mission to help the scottish breakaway. Why? I do not know. Hiccup just said we need another ally in this fight. How are things in France going? Last time Hiccup wrote me, you and him were in the town of Belfort. How is your leg? Hiccup said you lost it back in Berlin. I should of been there by your side, you are my sister, I can't leave you to suffer like that.

Whenever you get the chance please write me or fly over here so we can talk face to face. Or I will come down there myself.

Sincerely, Rosie H.

She placed the quill back into the ink and looked down at the paper. She hoped Astrid felt the same way. Rosie rolled up the piece of paper and placed it in the letter carrier on the side of the terror.

"Give this to Astrid or the King Sharpshot."

The dragon chirped and flew off leaving Rosie to her thoughts.

* * *

 _Poltava two days later…_

For the past two days Hiccup and his troops held firm against all odds. Berkain reinforcements had arrived, bolstering their numbers to a little of 120,000. These troops included men from Prussia, Sweden, Finland, and the Viking Archipelago. On top of that, it was rumored that the Polish troops were nearby, ready to strike.

Astrid had woken up with another smile on her face, the events of two nights ago replaying in her mind. She was removed from her thoughts when a Sharpshot landed on her desk.

"Hey there, what do you got for me?"

Astrid took out the scroll from his side. Unfolding the paper she began to read, the words on the paper made her heart sink for how stubborn she was.

"Oh Rose, I'm sorry" she whispered. She would write back to her but for now she needed to focus on the fight.

Astrid walked out of her tent and found Hiccup talking with Rommel.

"General Rommel, you are to redeploy on the far left. We can not allow for the French to outflank us."

"Yes sir. Good morning my Queen."

"I'm not a Queen yet general Rommel."

"Yes but it's time we start treating you like one" he said smiling. He patted Hiccup's shoulder and walked off.

"Milady."

"Good morning babe."

"Yeah if a good morning is waking up to the sound of cannon fire."

Astrid smiled and walked over to the table with a map on it. It was a map of Poltava and it was outlined in blue and red, red being the enemy and blue being them. The red lines almost completely surrounded the blue lines and arrows marked where they were going.

"We are almost surrounded."

"Yeah. What's wrong you sound upset?"

"I got a letter from Rosie."

"Ah, you two talking again?"

"Yeah, she said she was on some mission for you in Scotland."

"Did she say how it was going?"

"No. Why is she in scotland trying to get them to be independent? It can't be just we need another ally."

"You are right, their true mission there is to secure a landing point for our invasion of Britain if they don't surrender if Paris falls-"

"When Paris falls" Astrid corrected. The two of them stood in silence, if silence was the sound of musket fire and cannon shells hitting the ground.

"How is Snotlout? I haven't heard anything about him since the other day… Did he pass?" Astrid asked, breaking the silence.

"Somehow he is still alive. Why do you care, you hate his guts."

"I still do, but he still our friend."

"Yeah."

A cannon shell landed near them scaring Astrid. She jumped into Hiccup's arms who shielded her from the dirt. After a second the two of them separated.

"Sorry" Astrid muttered.

"Your fine, you have every right to be afraid of cannons. You have been knocked unconscious, you've lost your leg, you have every right to be afraid of them."

"I'm not afraid, I was just surprised."

"Sure. Get to your troops, we must hold."

Astrid nodded and mounted the horse Gustav rode into battle. Every time she saw the horse she was reminded of the father figure she had lost. She still held onto some hope that Gustav was still alive but a voice in the back of her head said otherwise.

When she reached her troops, what she saw was no different then yesterday. Getting off her horse she began stepping over the wounded and dead who littered the Berkian defenses. Not all of them were Berkian troops, some were British and French, men that failed at a charge.

"Carl."

"My lady."

"How are things here."

"We are under heavy-" he was cut short by a cannon ball ripping his head clean off his shoulders. Astrid felt her stomach churning at the sight so she looked away quickly. Soldiers nearby continued to shoot at the incoming enemy troops. Astrid's valkyries were doing good work, men were falling by the dozens from their shots.

Across the field Viggo was getting anxious. The Berkian troops still held strong against all odds. "No matter, they will break soon' he thought.

An explosion caused 4 british soldiers to go flying. Another 12 men were hit as a cannon ball went right through their line. As they continued to advance, a flag bearer was shot, dropping the flag. A nearby soldier attempted to pick it up but he too was shot.

French infantry on the Berkian left flank were getting close to the earthworks. Rehnskiold knew that if he didn't do anything now, they would break his lines.

"Colonel, bring up a regiment of the reserves. Tell the king that our lines can't hold much longer."

"Yes sir."

The colonel found a regiment in reserve and ordered them to come forward. Once he made sure they on the front lines he went to go find the king.

"Tell Rommel to hold as long as he can. Bring up some reserves if needed."

"Yes sir!"

The rider rode off to Rommel to give him the orders. The colonel ran up to the king who was looking frantic.

"My lord, general Rehnskiold is reporting that his lines can't hold much longer. He has begun to pull up reserves. Can we have reinforcements?"

"If I had yes. The only units available are cavalry and my guard. Do you have muskets for dismounted cav?"

"On the ground next to the dead and wounded."

"Find the 2nd Malmo rangers, tell them I am ordering them to dismount. They are to aid you in the fight."

"Yes sir!"

"Hiccup!"

He turned around to see Astrid dismounting her horse. Her uniform was dirty, mud and dirt was smudged all over. Gunpowder covered her face and hands. The coat was bloodstained which made Hiccup worry.

"Astrid are you alright?"

"I'm fine, we got into a brief melee. Hiccup we can't hold much longer. Where are the fucking polish?"

"I don't know, any rider I've sent out to go find them have been killed or shot down."

"Hiccup, if they charge us once more, the lines will collapse."

"If we charge them one more time, they'll break. I will lead this attack personally" Viggo said.

"Yes sir!"

"Men of Britannia!"

The men ready themselves to move.

"Forward march!"

The drums of war began to march and 30,000 british soldiers began to march forward.

"I will aid you in the center. I will make my final stand here if I must."

"Hiccup-"

"There is no other way. We must hold until the Polish can arrive."

"I understand" she whispered.

"Good." Hiccup turned towards the officers of the king's guard. "Get your men to the center, we hold there."

"Yes sir!"

Hiccup turned back to Astrid. "Astrid, I'll meet you there."

Astrid nodded and mounted her horse then rode off, Stormfly right behind her. Hiccup watched her leave then began to limp over to his horse. Toothless whined behind him in concern for his rider.

"I know bud, I can't take you into the fight with me. I don't want you to get hurt or worse. Just stay in the sky and rescue me if I need it."

Toothless warbled as Hiccup struggled to get on the horse. He nudged him up with his head which helped Hiccup a great deal.

"Thanks bud."

"General Hofferson they are coming again!"

"I can see that Lewenhaupt! Fire!"

The troops around her opened fire, unleashing the lead ball on their foes. Dozens of men fell, they fired back and some of the Berkians fell.

"Make way for the caroleans!" someone yelled.

A regiment of caroleans that was in reserve marched up and reinforced Astrid's line. The volley that they fired did a good amount of damage. Once they fired they moved in behind the earth works.

 _Far beyond their nations borders_

 _There's an army on the march_

 _For religion king and glory_

 _In the name of Christ their enemies chastise_

Two berkian cannons fired killing or wounding about 16 men. The caroleans began to fire at will, their reputation for being an elite fighting force was once again on full display.

 _Taking orders from the heavens_

 _Through hostile fire they will march_

The British fired a volley at them but when the gunsmoke cleared only a few men had fallen.

 _Unaffected by the volleys_

 _Facing death their faith will keep their fear at bay_

 _Into battle, facing the fire_

 _Lord thy will be done_

 _Into battle, walk in a line_

 _See the whites in their eyes_

 _Caroleans are marching on_

The caroleans fired a volley back at them, killing or wounding an entire row of soldiers. Behind them Hiccup and the king's guard marched in formation, reading themselves for the fire fight.

 _Put their lives in god's hand_

 _For the kingdom and fatherland_

 _See the whites in their eyes_

 _Caroleans are marching on_

"Fire!"

The guards fired a volley at the British who in return began to retreat.

On the left flank of the Berkian lines, Rehnskiold was under heavy fire. The french launched a major attack on his troops. The orderly firing turned into firing at will. The gunsmoke was getting thick making it hard to see what they were shooting at.

 _Morale and discipline unit them_

 _A common faith to keep them strong_

 _Always on their way to heaven_

 _In the name of Christ their enemies chastise_

The cannons fired another round of shots, tearing holes in the incoming french lines. The caroleans fired another volley killing or wounding many. The french fired back but little damage was done.

Back in the center Astrid and Hiccup held strong. The British attack had bogged down but they were still advancing.

"Come on keep of your fire!" Hiccup yelled.

Into battle, facing the fire

 _Lord thy will be done_

 _Into battle, walk in a line_

 _See the whites in their eyes_

 _Caroleans are marching on_

 _Put their lives in god's hands_

 _For the kingdom and fatherland_

 _See the whites in their eyes_

 _Caroleans are marching on_

Hiccup was knocked back by something. He fell to the ground hard, Astrid was soon by his side.

"Hiccup are you alright?"

"I'm fine, it hit the old peg leg."

Hiccup stood back up and took a look around him. The lines were thing out as more and more troops were killed or wounded by the incoming enemy. He saw a military chaplain trying to help a dying soldier move on. Hiccup bowed his head and muttered under his breath.

 _Fader vår som som är i himmelen (Our father who art in heaven)_

 _helgat varde ditt namn (Hallowed be thy name)_

 _Tillkomme ditt rike (Thy kingdom come)_

 _ske din vilja (Thy will be done)_

 _Såsom i himmelen så ock uppå jorden (On earth as it is in heaven)_

 _ge oss bröd ock idag (Give us this day our daily bread)_

 _Och förlåt oss våran skuld (And forgive us our trespasses)_

The soldier in question shut his eyes and released his final breath.

"Hiccup they're charging!"

"I know, bayonets!"

The soldiers quickly fixed their bayonets on their guns and went back to shooting. The melee began and it was hell. Some of the men the were first over the fortifications were stabbed immediately. Others that made it at least put up some fight.

Hiccup drew his sword and blacked a bayonet stab. He then stabbed the man attacking him and moved on to the next man. Astrid drew her own sword and killed a man before he had time to react. Astrid followed Hiccup into the fray as the combat progressed. Berkian cannons began firing canister at the men trying to get into the melee.

"Fire!"

The cannons fired their shotgun like projectiles, ripping body parts off or completely obliterating a man.

Hiccup slashed his sword at a British officer but he blocked. The officer tried to stab him but Hiccup stepped out of the way. Hiccup then knocked the sword out of the man's hand and stabbed him. Behind him a british soldier tried to stab him but had a bullet put through his skull. Hiccup looked behind him to see the man fall, looking up he saw Astrid with her pistol smoking.

The soldiers fought on, neither side willing to give an inch. The trench was filling with bodies rapidly as more and more were killed. Dismounted Berkian cavalry entered into the fray, muckets in hand. They were soon followed by some prussian soldiers from the right flank which wasn't under heavy fire.

Viggo was right behind his british troops as they charged into the ongoing melee combat. Some of his men began to break and began running away from the Berkian lines.

"No you fools keep attacking!" he yelled.

The men turned around and charged back into the fray.

Hiccup, Astrid, and a few of the guards made their way up to the frontlines. They had to step over piles of bodies to get there. The guards began firing at british soldiers that trailed behind.

"Hiccup there are more coming."

"Yeah I can see that."

Hiccup turned around to watch the melee combat around him. He could only sigh at the sight of what remained of his troops. The remaining British soldiers began to surrender, this made Viggo angry.

"Colonel, have your troops charge now."

"Sir if we charge now, the men will be exhausted by the time they reach their lines."

"Charge, that is an order colonel!"

"Yes sir. Charge!"

The men began to charge as Berkian troops as they got back into formation.

"Fire!"

The berkians began to fire at will at the incoming british soldiers.

"This charge will break us Hiccup."

"I know. Fallb-"

"Look, it's the winged hussars!"

Hiccup and Astrid looked to the nearby hill and saw the cavalry charge.

 _When the winged hussars arrived_

Cheering erupted from the Berkian lines as the battle raged on.

 _A cry for help in time of need, await relief from holy league_

 _3 days of siege, outnumbered and weak_

 _Sent a message to the sky, wounded soldiers left to die_

 _Will they hold the line or will the army fall_

 _Dedication_

 _Dedication_

 _They're outnumbered 15 to 1_

 _And the battle's begun_

 _Then the winged hussars arrived_

 _Coming down the mountain side_

 _Then the winged hussars arrived_

 _Coming down they turned the tide._

The hussars smashed into the British troops, killing any that stood in their way.

"Charge!" Hiccup yelled.

The berkian troops advanced forward, charging what remained of the British attack. Viggo didn't know what to do, the only thing he could do was run. He urged his horse to gallop and left the field. Any british soldier that wasn't killed by a winged hussar was captured by berkian soldiers.

King Jan rode up next to Hiccup who had his sword aimed at a British officer.

"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner my friend."

"Your fine Jan. I'm just glad you came when you did."

The winged hussars continued their charge, eventually hitting the French troops attacking Rehnskiold and his troops. The Berkians were saved from utter destruction but the losses were still high for the 3 day battle.

Louis order a retreat as mounting pressure from incoming polish troops was too much. Over 30,000 french lay dead or wounded, 22,000 British met the same fate. Berk suffered 20,000 loses on day one alone. The total count was 45,000 casualties. Poland who entered the battle of the 3rd day lost 4,000 men. The majority of that was from minor skirmishes north of Poltava.

The sun began to set on the Battlefield and Astrid and her staff were on the field of the 1st day. She had gotten off the horse Gustav gave her and began to search the bodies. Her staff began looking as well, hoping the Swedish General was still alive. They helped those who were somehow still alive, giving them water and some food. After two hours of searching Astrid began to lose hope.

"Sir he is not here. He must be captured."

Astrid didn't say anything she just looked around her. The bodies illuminated by the light of the lamp her men held. She was about to turn around and leave until she saw him. Tears in her eyes, she ran over to him. Falling to her knees, Astrid brought his chest up to her ears. Astrid listened closely hoping for a heart beat. After a few moments she buried her head into his chest, the sound of sobs filling the air.

Back at camp Berkian and polish troops were celebrating the hard fought victory.

"I thought for sure my army was done for Jan."

"I don't doubt it. Let this battle serve as a lesson young Hiccup. No army is invincible."

"Yeah I can see that now."

Hiccup was about to say more when Astrid and her staff returned. Getting up, he limped over to her to see if she found him. His question was answered when he saw the body.

"Gustav…"

Swedish soldiers bowed their heads in respect at their fallen general. Gustav was placed in a wagon and covered by the Swedish flag.

"I'm so sorry Astrid."

She said nothing, she just buried her head into his chest. Hiccup held onto her and rocked her back and forth, doing his best to calm her down. Rehnskiold walked next to the wagon, placing his hand on it.

"My friend, we will see each other soon. Thank you for everything."

The cart began to move, taking the general to the nearest port to send him back to Sweden.

* * *

 **Very long chapter, sorry it took me so long. I didn't know what to write and I've been working on the Gustav Spinoff with Silvolde. School has also gotten in the way which is always bad. Now that it's calming down I will be able to update a lot faster. The two songs used were The Caroleans Prayer and Winged Hussars - Dilloncoll**


	26. The Siege of Paris Part 1

**Time to read and answer the reviews:**

 **Dancing Madman: Thanks for your support first of all, you pointed out things that I missed, especially with the whole Hiccup meeting Rommel and two separate occasions. I will go back and fix everything when I get the chance. Also I agree, why are you reading the reviews before reading the story.**

 **Silvolde: Yeah, just the like show he is a slippery bastard. Does this chapter answer your question?**

 **Guest: Yeah, I wanted to bring her back. I felt bad for not continuing her story in Riders Become Wrestlers.**

 **Garrosh: Glad you like hope you enjoy this chapter**

* * *

After Poltava, there weren't any major battles in France for the next couple months. The small French army in the south had been pushed back to the ocean by the Austrians. Up north, Hiccup and the Berkians chased the retreating royal army. There were small skirmishes but nothing too major, none escalating into a major battle either.

In May, the Wolfpack sunk transport ships from French Louisiana that carried 20,000 soldiers and 16 ships filled with supplies. King Jan at the same time raided supply depots with the winged hussars. By the beginning of June, the French army was undersupplied. The only thing the British supplied was the massive trade convoys the crown had put in place to deter the Wolfpack from attacking.

Mid-July rolled around and southern France was under occupation. The French economy began to suffer as very little trade was happening. There was an attempt to win the back the seas but Dagur put end to it quickly. The battle in the Bay of Biscay saw over 75% of the French navy Destroyed. The battle involved 100 ships, 60 French and 40 Berkian. The Wolfpack alone sunk or captured 27 ships, the rest sinking or capturing another 23. Only 11 Berkian were sunk, among them was Viborg which was damaged early in the fight. She took down 3 ships with her making her kill count for her lifetime 23.

In August Berk, Poland, and Austria were at the gates of Paris. The city was in sight, but guarding it was the remaining French armies and Viggo's army. A total of 450,000 troops plus any civilians or militias forced into combat. Hiccup, Jan, Astrid, Rehnskiold, Rommel, and Austrian general Frederick Von Habsburg began planning the battle. Combined, the Berkian Alliance had 400,000 troops, 120,000 Berkians, 200,000 Polish, and 80,000 Austrians.

"Taking Paris is no easy feat. The last army to capture Paris was back 845 AD, the-"

"The Viking sack of Paris" Hiccup finished.

"Great, so the city we are attacking hasn't been taking by any army since the medieval age," Astrid said.

"That doesn't mean it's a guaranteed defeat lady Hofferson" responded Jan.

"King Jan is right," said Rehnskiold. "Just because no army has taken the city since, doesn't mean we won't. Times have changed, warfare has changed. They were fighting with sword and shield, we have muskets and cannon."

"Is there any way we could siege them out?" asked Frederick.

"There is but I don't think we have the numbers to do so. The French could easily get supplies from the river" Hiccup said.

"We could divert the river downstream, get rid of their supply of fresh water."

"I think the French would have prepared for this general Rommel. For all we know they could have months worth of freshwater stored" Astrid responded.

"Astrid is right, they could have water stored. We can not afford a prolonged siege either" Hiccup said.

"Then we fight in the streets and lose countless lives. Your Highness, with all due respect, we shouldn't throw our men into a butcher."

"I agree with general Frederick."

"Then what do we do Carolus Rex? You said it yourself, we can't afford a prolonged siege and we can't send our men to die. You and I must think about the future of our kingdoms. We have the Russian bear to our east. We throw our men at them and let them die, we open a free passage for the Russians to take our lands."

Hiccup stood there silent, stroking his beard. His eyes fixated on the map of Paris laid out in front of them.

"I have an idea. We launched four attacks on the outskirts of the city. Frederick will attack from north of the city. Your goal will be to take this town here" Hiccup said pointing to the map.

"Saint-Denis?"

"Yes. Jan you have the largest army, you will be launching two attacks. One from the west taking Boulogne-Billancourt and a combined attack with Rehnskiold from the south, taking Gentilly."

Jan nodded at Hiccup.

"Astrid, you, men, and Rommel will attack from the east. Our goal will be to take Saint-Mande. We must put pressure on the city, from there we lay our siege. Every day we must attack. If we have to fight in the streets, we will fight in the streets. Do we understand?"

"Yes sir" they all responded.

"Good. Get your rest, we leave in the morning."

Paris, France

Louis and Viggo had fallen back to the city in the months following Poltava. Louis insisted that Berk would attempt to take Paris. Viggo listened, their troops were now readying the city for a siege.

"No army has taken Paris since 845 AD Viggo. I highly doubt that the King of Berk could take this city."

"Do not underestimate our enemy. That was our downfall at both Poltava and Epinal. Now, what is the plan."

"They will try to cut us off from the river. I have planned ahead. 7 months of freshwater has been stored at supply depots all across the city. Fortifications have been built in the outskirts of the city which will deter them from attacking."

"Let's hope so. My guns will set up where you need them, Louis. Once we beat them here, we should surround the Berkian army and wipe them out. Kill their king in the process."

"Agreed. Now get your rest, my friend, we have a long few days ahead of us."

 _August 8th, 1690 Outskirts of Paris- Astrid's lines…_

It was early in the morning and the days of preparation had paid off. Berkian cannon lined the small hill overlooking the outskirts of Paris. The troops were well rested and itching for a fight. Morale had been high the past few months after Poltava. What was left of Gustav's division had been split between Astrid, Rommel, and a somehow still alive Snotlout.

Astrid sipped her cup of coffee that she had gotten from one of the cooks. She was taking in the sight of Paris and all of its glory. Taking Paris would be a daunting task, the men said it was impenetrable. No single army could waltz in and take the city. She hoped Hiccup's plan would work or Paris would be the death of the Berkian kingdom.

"Morning Astrid."

"Morning H."

The two of them shared a quick kiss before they turned towards the city.

"It's gonna be a brutal fight."

"I know."

"Just promise me you'll stay safe Astrid."

"Only if you promise me that you won't get yourself killed."

Hiccup was about to open up his mouth but he couldn't promise her that.

"Exactly."

The sound of the soldiers moving around filled their ears. The troops would be ready any minute now. The attack would soon begin. Hiccup was about to say something but Lewenhaupt walked up to them.

"The guns are ready my lord," Lewenhaupt said.

"Good, on my command you will fire."

"Yes, sir."

Lewenhaupt walked off to tell his men the orders. Hiccup turned back to Astrid and whispered in her ear "Good luck and godspeed my love."

"Same to you."

Hiccup walked off to where he could see the battle from his horse.

"Ruffnut, get my horse saddled."

"Yes, ma'am."

Astrid poured out the rest of her coffee and went to go get the rest of her uniform on. The camp grew quiet as the troops were ordered to get into battle formations. The only sounds heard were the sounds of the horses and dragons.

Hiccup turned to Lewenhaupt and raised his right hand in the air. Lewenhaupt mimicked the king and his men followed suit. Hiccup brought his arm down with force, Lewenhaupt quickly following. The guns roared to life as each one fired its iron projectile. Explosions were heard, signs of that the cannonballs were making contact with the ground.

Hiccup took out his telescope and looked out onto the field. French soldiers were rushing to get to cover. Some of the enemy cannon crews tried to get to their guns but were quickly stopped by the cannon bombardment. A nearby house was destroyed as a cannon shell hit the stone building.

The bombardment went on as more and more French troops were either killed or wounded. They wouldn't stop firing until Hiccup gave the order to stop nearly 30 minutes later.

"Tell Astrid to begin her attack."

"Yes, sir!"

The soldier rode off to go find Astrid.

The drums of war began to beat as Berkian troops marched. As they passed by the cannons no words were spoken just nods of encouragement. Astrid followed behind her troops, weary of leading in the front. The French guns began to fire but did little damage. The Berkian cannon responded once the infantry was at a safe distance.

Astrid and her men reached the French lines and began to fire at the enemy. The first volley they fired did some damage and the French volley was no different. The smoke began collecting on the field making it hard to see what they were shooting at.

"General Hofferson, we can't see a thing!"

"I know, charge!"

"Charge!"

The men charged the French lines. As soon as the Berkian got to the French defenses, they broke. Some tried to get the cannons away from the Berkians but were killed before they could move the guns.

"Tell the king that we have captured some cannons."

"Yes, sir."

"Prepare for a defense, they will counter attack. Colonel!"

"Yes, general Hofferson?"

"Have your men turn these guns around."

"Yes, sir!"

 _Inner city, Paris_

Louis was enjoying his morning until the sounds of cannon fire forced him to stop eating his meal. When he found Viggo, the man was shouting orders at some of his most trusted generals.

"Excuse me Grimborn but who gave you permission to order around my men."

"Your Highness the city is under attack. You were still eating breakfast, someone needed to lead you incompetent army."

"Why you-"

"My lord, Berkian troops have overrun colonel Jean and his troops!"

"Mount a counter-"

"Sir polish troops have been sighted west of the city."

"Austrian troops have captured colonel Charles north of the city."

More and more soldiers came in with reports from all over the outskirts of the city. The fighting was intensifying all around them. If they didn't act fast Paris could fall in days.

"I will take charge of the defense east of the city. Hiccup is my target, I will kill him." Viggo said.

"Very well. I will focus my efforts of the Polish from the west and south. I'll have some of the generals head south and north to deal with whatever they can."

Viggo nodded and mounted his horse.

"Men of Britannia today we slaughter some Vikings once more!"

The British troops cheered and began to march towards the east side of the city.

 _Rommel's line, east of Paris…_

Explosions rattled his men once again as they continued the march towards the Parisian defenders. Rommel wanted to capture as many French troops as he could which would lessen the number of defenders.

"Charge!"

The men began to charge at the French who, at this point, was quite scared of the Berkians. As soon as Rommel reached the French barricades, the enemy began to run.

"Shoot any that try to escape!"

The Berkian troops unleashed a volley on the retreating French troops. A lot fell but they continued to run.

"Damn!"

"Is everything alright sir?"

"Everything is fine major. Tell the king I have driven back the French troops here." Rommel said.

"Yes, sir."

The soldier rode off leaving Rommel looking out towards the city.

"Private, ride to general Hofferson. Check on her status."

"Yes, sir!"

The man rode off to go find Astrid. Rommel hoped that she had driven back the French troops.

 _Astrid's lines, east of Paris…_

Astrid had dismounted her horse and stood next to a captured cannon. Hiccup had sent a rider with instructions to wait for 20 minutes. If there was no counter-attack, she was to continue her push into town. Those 20 minutes came and went with no sign of any counter-attack.

"Alright, they ain't coming lets-"

"British soldiers coming towards us!"

Astrid looked to see where the soldier was pointing and sure enough British soldiers were emerging from the protection of the town.

"Captain, have your men fire the cannons! Colonel get you men ready!"

The cannons fired at the incoming British soldiers. The first shell that hit caused 5 men to go flying. The other shells either landed in front of them killing only one or two men or missing completely.

The captain turned back to Astrid who looked pissed off.

"I'm sorry sir, we are infantry, not artillery."

"Just keep firing."

"Yes, sir."

"They are in range, sir!"

"Fire!"

The Berkians who had been crouched fired a volley at the British, careful not to hit the men manning the cannons. Many British soldiers fell but continued to advance.

"Fire!"

The British fired their own volley, killing or wounding the men firing the cannons.

"Great I don't have cannons now" Astrid muttered. "Fire at will!"

The berkians picked up the speed at which they fired their guns. More and more British soldiers fell but continued to reload their guns.

"Fire!"

The British troops fired another volley at the Berkians. Astrid ducked behind the barricades, other men didn't react in time and were killed. One man was shot and fell back onto Astrid.

"Get off of me, dammit."

Astrid got the dying soldier off her back and stood up to shoot her pistol.

"Private tell the king that I need reinforcements."

"Yes, sir!"

The soldier mounted his horse and rode off to find the king.

"Keep up the fire!" she yelled.

The gunsmoke began clouding Hiccups view of the battlefield. He couldn't have Lewenhaupt fire at the incoming enemy because not only were they out of range, they might hit Astrid. The private the Astrid had sent rode up to him.

"My lord, general Hofferson requests reinforcements."

"Tell her that Snotlout is on his way."

"Yes, sir!"

The soldier rode off to inform Astrid of what Hiccup had said. Hiccup turned to one of his aids.

"Tell Snotlout he is to bring up his troops and reinforce Astrid's position."

"Yes, sir!"

 _Rehnskiold lines, South of Paris_

The fighting wasn't as fierce down south as it was to the east of the city. Rehnskiold had some of his troops march along the river and up the road as a diversion. The main attack force threw themselves at a poorly defended french positions. The french troops supposed to be holding those defense had gone after the diversion. After a quick skirmish 4,000 French troops had surrendered.

Rehnskiold followed up the capturing of French troops by capturing 3 generals and 10 cannons. The french troops were being caught off guard on all sides. The only ones who seemed to be putting up a fight were the British.

"We are advancing too easily. The people of Paris should of put up much stiffer resistance."

"I agree general Rehnskiold. Do you think that it is a trap?"

"No. It's desertion. I think we have them demoralized." Rehnskiold turned to his staff who were watching the regiments march in formation. "Tell the king and the other generals. Hit the french troops and hit them hard. They won't put up a fight."

"Yes, sir!"

His staff rode off leaving just him and his flag bearer.

 _Astrid's lines, east of Paris_

She should have taken her entire division, not just the 1st and 2nd brigade. When she began the fight Astrid had 4,000 men, now she had a little over 2,100. The barricades the french had set up helped a bit but not enough. The british troops had also began firing at will, which was killing more of her men. After she was done reloading her gun she was about to stand up until the messenger she had sent returned.

"Sir, general Jorgenson is on his way. He'll be here-"

The soldier had been struck in the chest by a bullet, killing him instantly.

"Great."

Astrid stood up to shoot her pistol once again, however something hit her, causing her to fall back. She didn't feel any pain and started to inspect her clothing for bullet holes. When her eyes reached her fake leg, she saw a bullet hole.

"One of the advantages of having a metal leg I guess" she muttered.

Astrid got back up and crouched next to some of her men. Her numbers were thinning out, she prayed to god, hoping Snotlout got here soon.

"Look sir, it's general Jorgenson."

Astrid looked and saw him and his men running to them.

"Fall into them boys, give those brits some hell" Snotlout yelled.

The Berkian infantry fired a volley at the British troops before taking cover with Astrid and her men. Snotlout crouched next to Astrid who looked relieved.

"You got here just in time."

"Did you think I was gonna let you die babe?"

"Snotlout."

"Yes?"

"What do you think I am about to say and do."

"Cause pain and say that your not my babe."

"Good you've learned."

Astrid stood up to fire her pistol and she saw the British beginning to make a retreat.

"Alright boys, let's push them back even farther."

Astrid drew her sword and gave the order to march. Back on the hill Hiccup smiled at the sight of the retreating British troops. A rider from Rehnskiold rode up to him with a message from the swedish general.

"My lord, the French are demoralized, they are diserting."

"Good to know, thank you."

"General Rehnskiold says it would be in our best interest to hit them hard. Give them french bastards hell he said."

"Alright tell him I said thank you." Hiccup turned to his couriers "Notify the generals tell them that the french troops are not willing to fight much longer. Ruffnut bring up the rest of Astrid's troops. I will bring my men behind you."

"Yes sir!"

 _Inner City Paris_

Viggo returned to the center of the city with his men. It was noon and over 35,000 French troops had been killed, wounded, or captured, the majority of those casualties was from capturing. British casualties only numbered 4,200, far lower than the french.

Viggo was mad due to the french incompetence. He was gonna leave it behind for now but quickly changed his mind upon seeing the king eating a nice meal with some of his staff.

"Are you kidding me!"

"What is wrong my friend?"

"You are sitting here eating lunch while your men are dying in the streets of your capital. Are you serious!?"

"Relax Grimborn. A king eats whenever he chooses, besides I am confident that my generals are winning the fight for me."

"Your general are surrendering without putting up a fight. The majority of the men you have lost so far is the result of them getting captured. I have never seen such a sorry excuse of an army!"

"Viggo Grimborn, I will not be lectured by some commoner no less a viking on how to lead an army. Now if you have a problem with my leadership, good luck sending a message back to your crown in England."

"You know what? I will, I will and I'll deliver it personally. General Montgomery have the regiments get white flags ready just in case. We are abandoning Paris and it's incompetent leaders."

"Sir how can we abandon them, the city is under siege."

"General, we will be sneaking through the Austrian troops now get the men moving."

Viggo and his troops would leave the city within two hours, sneaking past the Austrian troops. However, a quarter of the army was discovered and after a brief fight they surrendered. 20,000 British troops had been captured.

Louis was angry with the British but he was determined to hold his capital at all costs.

"General, arm the civilians and ready the militia. Have all troops pull back and defend all the roads that lead into the city. We are leaving the outskirts of town."

"Yes my lord."

French troops from all sides of the city left the fortifications in the outskirts of Paris. This allowed for the Berkian alliance to take their objectives a lot sooner than expected. With the capturing of the outskirts of Paris, Hiccup called a staff meeting with all the leaders of the attack.

"Hiccup what is going on?"

"I don't know Astrid. I don't understand why they gave up their positions so easily."

"It might be a trap Carolus. They might try and lure you into the fight and kill you."

"That is a possibility Jan but I don't think that is why."

An Austrian officer walked up to Frederick and handed him a note. Quickly reading the note, Frederick opened up his mouth to speak.

"Your highness, I have just received word that my men have captured 20,000 british soldiers fleeing the city. From what my men have gathered, their leaders decided to leave them and I quote 'to their own god damn fate.' My men also said that this is not the entire british army. At least 60,000 are in the countryside."

"Hiccup, I can go after them. My division would be mobile enough. We could-"

"No. As much as I hate to admit it Astrid, we need all the available troops here in Paris. The dragon riders will follow their movements and will report back with their findings. Keep at least one brigade in reserve just in case. I will not allow us to be surprised."

All the officers nodded.

"Good. Now, bring up your guns. The day maybe won but the French still hold onto the city. The siege of Paris begins."

* * *

 **Finally got this out, sorry it took so long. Trying to get back into the whole youtube thing (SUBSCRIBE TO PEWDIEPIE) as well as working on Riders Become Wrestlers. Paris is going to be long, 5-7 chapters at most. At the end of the day it's more work for me to do. Yay! So I do have songs laid out for the siege so to just give you an idea of what might happen: 40:1, Hearts of Iron, To Hell and Back, and Union (Slopes of St. Benedict) - Dilloncoll**


	27. The Siege of Paris Part 2

**Sorry, this one took so long, didn't plan on it. My attention has been split between three different stories and my writing week goes like this:**

 **Monday: RoaK**

 **Tuesday: WRBC**

 **Wednesday: Gustav**

 **Thursday: off day/ RoaK (depends on how I feel.)**

 **Friday: RoaK**

 **Saturday: WRBC**

 **Sunday: Gustav**

 **Silvolde: I don't understand why people think Viggo is going to become king of England. It did cross my mind the rough draft of the story but decided against it. Viggo is better at leading men rather than a kingdom.**

 _September 7th, 1690, Paris_

The siege entered its 2nd month, fighting was brutal, Louis desperate to defend the city. Hiccup knew if the siege lasted much longer, Britain could return but he had a feeling the Wolfpack could take care of the enemy navy. Both Astrid and Rehnskiold were pressuring Hiccup for an attack up the small roads. Jan and Frederick wanted to launch an all-out assault of the city.

After weeks of debate and days of artillery bombardments Jan order for his troops to attack.

"General Alberick, attack! We must end this siege if Berk won't."

"Yes, sir!"

Berk high command was arguing back and forth on what to do. As mentioned before, Astrid and Rehnskiold wanted to attack but Rommel and Snotlout said no to.

"Hiccup you said it yourself the siege can't last forever. If you let me and Rehnskiold attack up the side streets in the city, we could break them."

"Astrid's wrong. We will lose more men than necessary, let's just starve them out."

"Mr. Jorgenson is right my lord. If you remember correctly my attack back and Berlin was the result of starving the army out. We were desperate."

"Guys."

"Aaron Rommel don't push your luck. You are lucky you are even part of this army. If it were up to me I could have sent you packing already."

"Carl Gustav Rehnskiold I have not talked ill about you this entire time I've been with the army."

"Guys."

"In case you haven't noticed this isn't-"

"Guys!"

The four generals stopped talking and looked at Hiccup who looked mad.

"Stop your fucking arguing I'm sick of it. For the past 3 days, it has been nonstop fighting between the four of you. Astrid and Rehnskiold are right, we can't continue this siege much longer. Berk can't send us much more."

Rommel and Snotlout opened their mouths but Hiccup stopped them.

"However, Snotlout and Rommel are also right. We can't afford to send our troops to their death."

A soldier walked into the tent the high command had set up.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything but the Austrians and the Polish have launched an attack on the city."

"What?"

"They said they couldn't wait much longer, war costs money. Troops need to paid, armies to be fed."

"Alright. Astrid you and Rehnskiold will lead the first wave of an attack. March up the streets and for the love of god check the houses. I don't need you all getting ambushed."

"Yes, sir."

"Understood Hiccup."

"Snotlout and Rommel, you will lead the second wave of troops. Your job will be to secure anything this two fail to capture and secure."

"As you wish my lord."

"You got it cuz."

"I will lead a third wave of the elite troops up the main roads. We must push far into the city."

By noon, Polish troops had pushed far into the west side of the city. Under the command of Colonel Wladyslaw, 1,000 troops took Ville-d'Avray west of Paris. No shots were fired but 200 French soldiers were captured. The Seine was 2 and a half kilometers away from the Polish troops.

Wladyslaw stood behind his men who were crouched behind a line of fence posts.

"King Jan should have advanced on Versailles by now. Captain, what is the status of your men?"

"We are good sir, just a bit exhausted from the march."

"Good."

Wladyslaw took out his telescope and looked up the road. On the bridge in front of them was 4,000 French troops marching towards them.

"Kurwa, French troops marching toward us" he spat.

"Sir we've got French soldiers from the south and north incoming!"

"Captain Aleksy take 200 men and hold the northern flank. Captain Eryk take 300 to the south and hold there. I will hold the center."

"Yes, sir!"

 _Baptized in fire_

 _40:1_

The French started to get into battle formations and advanced towards the polish troops.

 _So silent before the storm_

 _Awaiting command_

 _A few_ has _been chosen to stand_

 _As one outnumbered by far_

"Don't give an inch back. Fire at will!"

The polish fired a volley into the French troops. Dozens of soldiers fell to the incoming hailstorm of bullets.

 _The orders from high command_

 _Fight back hold your ground_

 _In early September it came_

 _A war_ known _to the world_

The polish held strong against the incoming French soldiers. The polish troops continued their independent firing stopping some of the French in their tracks. The French finally fired a volley at the polish killing a few men.

"Hold your ground boys!" Wladyslaw yelled over the gunfire.

 _No army may enter that land_

 _That is protected by Polish hand_

 _Unless you are 40:1_

 _Your force will soon be undone_

Meanwhile, on the Polish left flank, Alesky and his men held strong against the French troops.

"Private! Fill that gap!"

"Yes, sir!"

About 1,000 French troops were attacking them, however, they were poorly trained and equipped militia. The polish troops that were under the command of Wladyslaw were well trained and well equipped. They had taken up a position on a few rocks and trees. There was a small creek a few meters in front of them which will slow the french down if they dare charged.

 _Baptized in fire_

 _40:1_

 _Spirit of Spartans_

 _Death and Glory_

 _Soldiers of Poland_

 _Second to none_

 _Wrath of the Kingdom_

 _Brought to a halt_

 _South city, Astrid's lines_

Astrid and her valkyries were engaged in heavy combat in the southern districts. The French had barricaded the road with furniture from houses and placed soldiers inside houses. The street fighting was costly as many fell to the storm of bullets.

"You five with me," Astrid said pointing to 5 women.

"Yes, sir."

The six of them ducked into an alleyway and flanked around a building.

"Bayonets."

The 5 women nodded and fixed their bayonets on their guns. Astrid drew her sword and pistol and entered the house followed by the 5 Valkyries. Astrid cautiously moved up the stairwell, once she was at the top of the stairs, she made her way over to a door. She tried to open it but it was locked. Frustrated she kicked the door open.

"Sacre bleu."

Astrid saw a man and a woman in bed with each other. She was at a loss of words at the sight in front of her. She looked to her right and saw a French officer uniform. Her expression changed and shot the French man, killing him. The woman with him began screaming at her in French.

"For the love of- shut up!"

Astrid took out a second pistol and shot the woman.

"Better cover her up, wouldn't want to be found like this."

Astrid covered the woman up with a blanket and walked out of the room.

"Are you alright sir, heard some screaming."

"Everything is fine. Head to the third floor and start firing."

"You go it."

Astrid walked out of the house and saw some of her caroleans moving around.

"Captain!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Double quick, try and take a house that's behind them."

"Yes, sir!"

A soldier ran up to her with some orders from Hiccup.

"Sir, the king has ordered you to get as far as you can. You are to use side streets if necessary. Take as many bridges on the Seine if practicable."

"Tell the king that I am nowhere near the river. Tell him I'm by…" Astrid looked around for any important landmarks. "I'm by the center of the 13th arrondissement, whatever that means."

"Yes, sir!"

The soldier ran off to go tell Hiccup what Astrid told him.

"General Hofferson!"

"Yes?"

"We captured a French officer, he revealed the location of a hospital not too far from here."

"Ok rally a regiment of caroleans."

"Yes, sir!"

Astrid found the colonel of the Valkyries directing her troops forward.

"Colonel Ashley, you're in charge of the attack up the main street."

"Yes, sir."

"If you can, try and flank around them. I'm gonna strike some fear in the hearts of the French, there is a hospital nearby that we are gonna take."

"Yes, sir!"

Astrid ran off back to where she stormed the house. A regiment of the Swedish troops was ready and waiting for her.

"Alright, let's move."

The soldiers marched down the road in column formation, not a word was spoken. Eventually, the road broke into a city center. The berkian soldiers took cover behind a building while Astrid scouted the area out. Looking through her telescope, Astrid observed the hospital. It was no different than the Berkian medical camps with the wounded and dying laying everywhere. Women and surgeons walked over the bodies trying to treat who they could.

"What do you see sir?"

"No defenses, only a few troops fit to fight. Men and women trying to treat those they can. Get bayonets on, we are gonna charge."

"Yes, sir!"

The troops fixed their bayonets on the muskets.

"Charge!"

Astrid moved from her cover position with her men following her, bayonets pointed towards their enemies. By the time the French soldiers realized what was going on it was too late. Those that attempted to fight were shot or stabbed. The women and surgeons were rounded up and placed under the watch of 20 men. Astrid and 20 men stormed the building, stepping over the wounded. Astrid's heart dropped at the sight of a few children huddled in the corner. She walked up to them, kneeling down to eye level.

"Any of you speak Swedish? German? Polish?"

"I don't think they do sir, the oldest one seems about 9."

"I know, probably left homeless from our bombardments. You know, 2 weeks ago Lewenhaupt didn't let up for the entire day."

"We should get them somewhere safe."

"Where though? You wanna walk up to the French and say 'here are your children back sorry we destroyed their homes.' Or we leave them in the streets in the middle of a fucking battle."

"I'll keep an eye on them, sir, you need to lead the men in the fight."

Astrid nodded and walked away to the outside of the hotel. She took off her hat and ran a hand through her hair.

"How's the leg holding up?"

"Fine Rehnskiold. Sometimes it'll feel like that the leg is still there."

"Yeah the king was talking to me about that, calls it phantom pains."

"How you holding up with you know, his death."

"Fine, my sister said he was given a grand funeral. It's not what he wanted, he wanted to buried with his ancestors. Should have told them."

"A Viking funeral?"

"Yeah, he and his family came from a long line of Vikings. It was a common joke of ours back at the academy that he was the rightful king of Norway. Those were the days, Me, Gustav, Carl, Erik, and Lars. I'm the last one left of that class."

Astrid nodded as Rehnskiold looked at the ground and sighed.

"I'm gonna try to get as close to Notre Dame as possible. That's their headquarters from what I've gathered."

"I'll match your advance then. My troops get held up on the main road. The French are getting desperate as we continue to push them back."

"Indeed. From what my spies have gathered, the French guns on the seine are aimed at us. As soon as we advance from those houses, we are gonna have 127 guns firing upon us."

"Then we must take out those guns. I'll have the riders-"

"The riders will be shot down before they could hit their targets. Riders were reporting they got sharpshooters on the buildings. I've lost 20 riders that were trying to give some air support."

"Damn, we need to take them out. I'll have Lewenhaupt-"

"Lewenhaupt is almost out of rounds. Talked with him before I marched out. He has 4 shots in each of his guns left. Wants to keep them loaded in case we can't break through."

"When will be the next wave of supplies."

"Wolfpack will be landing in Calis in a couple days."

"Got it."

A soldier ran up to them with news.

"General Hofferson, general Rehnskiold, we captured a French officer."

"Lead us to him."

The soldier nodded and began to walk towards the captured French officer. 5 men surrounded him with bayonets aimed at his chest.

"You speak Swedish?"

"A bit yes."

"Great tell us what we what to know."

"I… I don't know…"

Astrid slapped him causing him to fall to the ground.

"Are there any outposts in the area? Any supply caches? More hospitals?"

"There is a depot a few roads down. It's for the royal batteries."

"Good."

Astrid grabbed her pistol from its holster and shot the man.

"Was that necessary lady Hofferson."

"His use ran out. Now Rehnskiold, I want you to advance to said depot. The 14th Malmo will follow you there with your regiments. If you capture ammunition for the guns, send it to Lewenhaupt."

"Understood, be careful with the main road."

"I will."

Rehnskiold gave a salute and walked off to find his men. Astrid walked back to where her officers stood.

"Sir," said one of them while giving a salute.

"Gentlemen, any word from the king?"

"Just a simple message saying that plans have changed. Generals Jorgenson and Rommel have now been redeployed east of town. They are tasked with securing everything on the other side of the river."

"What about the king, he has 15,000 men at his disposal in reserve."

"King Carolus said that his forces will be moving to our rear shortly."

"Got it. Colonel Matthew, take your men and move down that road there. The one I'm pointing to. Get as close as possible to the Seine."

"Will do sir."

"The rest of you will move up the alleyways and streets. We must take as much ground as possible."

"Yes, sir!"

"Good, move out."

Astrid walked up to stormfly who had just landed nearby.

"Hey girl, you hungry?"

The dragon chirped in response.

"Ok then, let's get back to camp real quick."

 _Polish lines, west of the city…_

The polish troops still held own to the small park just north of Versailles. There was no word from King Jan about the capturing of the French palace. Colonel Wladyslaw feared for the worst as more and more French troops started pouring into the fray.

"Private, find the captains. Tell them I'm ordering a retreat."

The soldier nodded and ran off to go find both captains.

 _The 7th of September it starts_

 _The rage of the French_

 _A barrage of Cannon and guns_

 _Stand past the bunkers will hold_

"Sir, Captain Aleksy and Captain Eric are retreating."

"Good I hold them here with these men here."

The soldier nodded and started firing at the French troops

 _The Colonel has pledged his life_

 _I'll face my fate here!_

 _The sound of artillery strike_

 _So fierce, the thunder guns_

 _So come, bring on all that you got_

 _Come hell, come high water, never stop_

 _Unless you are forty to one_

 _Your life will soon be undone_

The polish troops fought on as more and more were killed. Wladyslaw had abandoned his pistol in favor of a musket.

"Fight harder boys we may be outnumbered 40 to 1 but you fight like Spartans."

"Sir, General Alberick has arrived."

Wladyslaw looked behind him and saw the polish banner waving in the wind. At the sight of polish reinforcements, the French troops began to retreat.

 _Always remember a fallen soldier_

 _Always remember fathers and sons at war_

"Colonel Wladyslaw, you deserve some sort of medal. You held at least 4,000 French troops back for what two hours?"

"I have, just promise me one thing General Alberick."

"And that is?"

"That the fallen here, these fathers and sons at war, are not forgotten."

"I will make sure of that colonel."

Wladyslaw nodded before he collapsed to the ground. Some soldiers ran over to him to check on him.

"He's dead sir. There is a bullet hole in his shoulder."

"That man fought on with an injury. Amazing."

"Your orders sir?"

"Push to that bridge if the Austrians haven't captured it yet, then we will."

"Yes, sir."

 **So just to try and give you guys a layout of the battle, I'm going to paint a picture in your minds. Imagine Paris but the outer most city** **is mostly forests with a few roads. The outer city is pretty much destroyed with very few buildings still standing. The French army is spread out across the city very thinly trying to hold back the attackers. There is Effie tower, there is no Arc de Triumph. To the south and east, the Berkian army moves towards Notre Dame. To the west, the Polish take Versailles and raise the Polish flag on the palace. To the North, the Austrians take major roadways and a couple of bridges.**


	28. The Siege of Paris Part 3

**So we are back once again in Paris as the fighting heats up. It's still the same day but later in the day. So before I answer some of the reviews I gotta talk about the Bonnie Blue. The Bonnie Blue flag was the original design of the flag for the Confederate States of America. You are probably wondering what this has to do with the story. Well, the flag inspired a song and it's about the southern states leaving the union. The only reason why I included the song is that it's fitting as the Vikings are trying to fight for the rights as independent tribes. I also modified the song a bit to fit the time period and story. Anyways on to the reviews.**

 **Silvolde: That's a valid point, however, I've gotta keep some historical accuracy. The Prussian army was one of the best in the world and I made them surrender early on. Louis XIV was a very good leader and his armies were some of the best but I made his troops utterly incompetent. On top of that, there would be NO WAY in hell Britain and France would ally each other. The two kingdoms hated each other ever since William the Conqueror took the crown of England.**

 _Berkian Camp_

Astrid and Stormfly landed in the camp, for the most part, it was empty. Only a few men stayed behind cleaning up the camp. As the two of them moved throughout the camp, they found Toothless laying next to Hiccup who was standing over a map.

"Hey, Astrid."

"Hey, babe."

Astrid gave him a quick peck on the lips before looking at the map.

"Sorry about the last minute changes, we need to put pressure on both sides of the river."

"I understand. When are your troops moving out?"

"Soon."

Astrid nodded and looked at the city in front of them.

"By the way, I like the corps flag you designed," Hiccup said breaking the silence.

"It's nice isn't it, Bonnie blue I call it."

The music corps came walking up to them.

"Captain Andrews how may I help you."

"My lord, my lady, glad you two are here. The music corps has prepared a song about lady Hofferson's corps."

"Then let us hear it."

Andrews smiled and turned around to the music corps. He lifted his baton in the air and directed the band. A few men started to sing.

"We are a band of brothers and native to the soil

Fighting for our liberty, with treasure, blood, and toil

And our freedom was threatened, the cry rose near and far

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

As long as the British were faithful to her trust

Like friends and brethren, kind we were, and just

But now, when British treachery attempts our freedom to mar

We hoist on high the Bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

First gallant Berk nobly made the stand

Then came Berserk and took her by the hand.

Next quickly Meatheads, bog burglars, and defenders of the wing.

All raise on high the Bonnie blue flag the bears a single star

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Ye men of valor gather round the banner of the right

Skull crushers and fair shield crackers join us in the fight

Carolus, our loved king, and General Hofferson are

Now rally round the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

(instrumental)

And here's to brave Sweden, the old Viking kingdom

With the young kingdom at length has linked her fate

Impelled by her example, now other tribes prepare

To hoist on high the Bonnie blue flag that bears a single star

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Then cheer, boys, cheer now, raise a joyous shout

For Gotland and Riga now have both gone out;

And let another rousing cheer for the Bone Beakers be given

The single star of the Bonnie blue flag has grown to be eleven!

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Then here's to our kingdom, strong we are and brave

Like Vikings of old, we'll fight, our heritage to save.

And rather than submit to shame, to die we would prefer

So cheer for the Bonnie blue flag that bears a single star

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star.

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

For Viking rights, Hurrah

Hurrah for the bonnie blue flag that bears a single star."

Once the song finished Astrid and Hiccup clapped.

"Good job boys, now go get the men ready."

"As you wish my lord."

Hiccup turned back to Astrid who was looking back at the city.

"Where is Rehnskiold?"

"He's assaulting some supply cache in the city."

"Got it."

 _Rehnskiold's position…_

After marching for a couple of minutes, Rehnskiold and his men found themselves taking cover behind a stone wall in a park. At least 600 French troops guarded the supplies while Rehnskiold only had 900 troops of his own. Behind the supply cache was a bridge, a bridge that they needed to capture.

"Captain, notify general Rommel or Hofferson tell them we have begun our assault on the supply cache in the… what park is this?"

"Anzio park sir."

"Tell them we are attacking the cache in Anzio park and we need reinforcements."

"Yes, sir."

The captain got up from where he was crouched and ran to go find one of the two generals.

"Alright, boys we are going to charge. Move!"

The Berkian soldiers jumped over the wall and began to charge, their bayonets aimed at the French soldiers.

 _A short man from Stockholm_

 _A man of the wild_

 _Thrown into combat_

 _Where bodies lie pilled_

 _Hides his emotions_

 _His blood's running cold_

 _Just like his victories_

 _His story unfolds_

 _Bright a white light_

 _If there'd be_

 _any glory in war_

 _Let it rest on men like him_

 _Dead men will never come back_

 _Crosses grow on Anzio_

 _Where no soldier sleeps_

 _And where hell's six feet deep_

 _Death does wait_

 _There's no debate_

 _So charge and attack_

 _Going to hell and back_

The Berkian soldiers smashed into the French soldiers, sparks were flying everywhere. Rehnskiold blocked an attack by a French officer with his sword. He disarmed him and stabbed the officer.

 _A man of the 15th_

 _A man of can do_

 _Friends fall around him_

 _And yet he came through_

 _Let them fall face down_

 _If they must die_

 _Making it easier to say goodbye_

 _Bright a white light_

 _If there'd be any glory in war_

 _Let it rest on men like him_

 _Who went to hell and came back_

 _Crosses grow on Anzio_

 _Where no soldier sleeps_

 _And where hell's six feet deep_

 _Death does wait_

 _There's no debate_

 _So charge and attack_

 _Going to hell and back_

After a prolonged melee, the French soldiers began to surrender. Of the 900 to make the charge, 500 still stood.

"Colonel, have your men take position over there. Those wagons just before the bridge."

"Yes, sir!"

In the distance, cannon fire was heard.

"I thought Lewenhaupt was told not to fire if we were pushed back?"

"He was, take cover!"

The men began diving to the ground, covering their heads with their hands. Cannon shells rained down upon them as the French were determined to throw the Berkians back.

 _Oh gather round me and listen while I speak_

 _About war where hell is six feet deep_

 _And all along the shore_

 _Where cannons still roar_

 _Their haunting my dreams_

 _They're still there while I sleep_

The bombardment subsided and the dust settled revealing the state of the supply cache. It was still intact but there were holes everywhere, some crates of supplies were destroyed. Luckily, no gunpowder was hit.

"We got lucky, no doubt they will attack again. Be prepared for the attack."

"Yes, sir!"

 _December 7th, 1690 Paris… (kinda of a huge time jump, needed to make this chapter longer)_

The fighting in Paris came to an abrupt halt in mid-September. Neither side was willing to sacrifice men in brutal street fighting. The morale had fallen in both armies as the siege dragged on. In November, Austrian troops had to retreat as they were needed to deal with the Ottoman empire who were attempting to retake possessions lost in previous wars. On top of that King Jan was struck and killed by a stray bullet while leading his men in defense against French troops.

Things for Berk weren't going good as well. Rehnskiold had come down with the flu in late November and forced to take time off from leading. Snotlout had been struck in the leg by a stray bullet in October and Hiccup forced him to go home and rest. Astrid's prosthetic leg had been destroyed by a bullet and Hiccup was working on fixing it. So for the time being Astrid could only ride Stormfly or Traveler. Speaking of Hiccup, the king had been hard at work drafting up a surrender proposal for the French. He hoped that Louis would give in and accept a formal surrender.

A thin blanket of snow covered the destroyed city, covering the dead as well. The city reeked of death as some soldiers went unburied, decaying in the streets. Rommel had taken over leading the attacks while Hiccup worked from his headquarters. The French bearly held onto the city, only holding the two bridges to Notre Dame and a bit of land outside the reach of the cathedral. There were also small pockets of French troops spread across the city but most of them were behind Berkian lines. Only 45,000 French troops still fought on, most of the defenders at the start of the fight were either dead wounded or captured. The 9th division had started the month of December guarding Notre Dame, now they had created a bulge in the front lines. Behind them was the 12th division, a unit that had been fighting on the front lines since the start of the fighting.

Many civilians fled towards the cathedral, escaping the grasp of the Berkian and Polish armies. They feared execution and torture, so they sought refuge with what was left of the French army. The 9th division's orders had quickly changed from driving the Berkians back to guard the bridge so civilians could escape. Everyone knew the city wouldn't hold much longer, it was only a matter of time before the rest of the army surrendered.

"My lord, the French troops that have crossed the bridge are right for the picking. Let me attack sir."

"General Rommel, if I tell you to attack, then Astrid will want to attack and you know how stubborn she is."

"She gets it from you, my lord."

"Very funny Rommel."

Hiccup stood up and faced the Prussian general. Hiccup had grown out his beard (A little bit farther out then in the hidden world) over the fall. His uniform was dusty and dirty from his constant moving around the camp.

"Where is Astrid by the way?"

"General Hofferson, last time I checked was eating breakfast."

"Alright, thank you Rommel. Rest up your men, and prepare to attack."

"Right away my lord."

Rommel gave a salute and walked off to talk with his officers. Hiccup stepped out of the building with Astrid's prosthetic, wrapped in cloth in his right hand. Hiccup and ordered to move the camps forward to get closer to his enemy. Louis still held on and Hiccup was growing tired of the fighting in Paris. Once he got to the camp he immediately found Astrid sitting with the officers around a campfire.

"Enjoying the cold m'lady."

"Oh, it's the best" Astrid replied in a sarcastic tone.

"I've got something for you, an early Christmas present."

Hiccup unwrapped the cloth and showed her the prosthetic.

"Kinda been working on this, added some Astrid flair, if you know what I mean."

Astrid laughed and grabbed the limb out of his. She placed on her leg and made sure it was fastened tightly before taking a few steps.

"How is it?"

"Good, now when do we attack?"

"Rommel will be moving out shortly. Notre Dame is the target do not stop. Take my guards with you and the Valkyries, we must win today."

Astrid nodded and got on her horse, Stormfly in tow.

"Hiccup, a lot of men will die today but this will be the last of their suffering."

"Then with God's grace Astrid, attack!"

Astrid smiled sadistically and saluted before riding off leaving Hiccup staring at the cathedral in the distance.

 **Sorry again for the massive time skip. Needed to make the chapter longer and didn't want to repeat myself by having Rehnskiold facing off against waves of French troops. Paris is on the verge of falling, will one last attack break their will to fight? -Dilloncoll**


	29. Final Attack on Notre Dame Paris Part 4

**I can't believe that people love this story so much. I am nowhere near as good as some of the people on this website. The Rise of a King has quickly become my most read story and my longest story. That's not saying much as most of the shit I posted when I had no idea what the fuck I was doing isn't even 1,000 words long. I do think if I upload When Riders become Wrestlers more often then it'll pass this story. It's amazing what a simple description change could do. For those that saw I changed the description for WRBC to something a lot better then what I had before. I also took out that first chapter because it did nothing for the story. Anyways on to the main event!**

 **Silvolde: Yeah I do my best, btw there is a google doc up for the 2nd chapter of Gustav that we need to work on.**

 **Guest: Bonnie Blue Flag is one of my favorite civil war era songs. It's only behind Dixie and Battle Cry of Freedom.**

 **Commander Greya: Thanks! Also To Hell and Back was the first Sabaton song I was introduced. From there I went in this order: Swedish Pagans, Winged Hussars, Sparta, Primo Victoria, Hearts of Iron, then the entirety of the Carolus Rex album (Which the story is loosely based off of.) I love the band cause I'm a history nerd and they do history related stuff.**

* * *

Astrid and her troops waited behind makeshift walls as the French helped people across the bridge.

"Sir, they might blow the bridge up before we cross it."

"Doubt it," Astrid said pulling down her binoculars. "They don't have any cannons left. If they do, it won't be many."

Astrid glanced around the king's guard. It had been over a year since Hiccup became King of berk and this was her first time leading the elite of the elite into battle. Each tribe had its own regiment of elite troops. The Beserkers had their deranged warriors, Defenders of the Wing had the protectors, and Berk had the Valkyries. However, none of them compared to the king's guard who was well known for their bravery in the line of fire, willing to give their lives to protect their king. At Poltava, it was the guards who had brought him back behind friendly lines. At Berk, the same men held the line in their first fight and had not given an inch. At Berlin, when they faced a hoard of Prussian troop, they did not break. They were feared by their enemy and Astrid would use that to her advantage.

 _See the Kingdom in flames_

 _Try to save Paris vain_

 _It's a road to death and pain_

 _On the other shore, there is the end of the war_

Astrid and her troops began to march, Bonnie Blue waving in the wind behind her. Hiccup watched from a safe position behind the troops. He wouldn't get involved in this fight, not yet anyway.

The 9th division got behind their cover and began to fire at the Berkians. The civilians began to scream in horror as the Berkians fired back. Many fell dead or wounded, some of the troops began to run with the civilians. Astrid turned to the colonel of the king's guard.

"Colonel, you know what to do."

The man nodded and ordered his men forward.

 _Who could ever have believed_

 _Seems like nothing's been achieved_

 _Just to walk a day, go all the way_

 _The fronts are closing in_

Elements of the 12th division arrived to help the 9th hold. Many civilians were ordered to help get the wounded across the bridge. The king's guard was closing in and many of the French troops started to lose the will to fight. General Kreigsluck, a Prussian officer that had fled with the British when Berlin was about to fall, led the men forward. He was desperate to hold this bridge but he would not hold for everyone to make it across.

 _As the end is drawing near_

 _The 12th division interfere_

 _Open up a route_

 _Get people out_

 _Their forces spread out thin_

The king's guard fired a volley at the French troops. Many fell, tearing holes in the line of troops. That one volley did it for many of the French troops. They started to run but Kreigsluck would have none of it.

"If you retreat, I will make sure you are branded as traitors."

 _It's the end of the war (hold the corridor!)_

 _Reach for Siena's shore_

The men turned back to face the incoming Berkian troops. Astrid's valkyries used the distraction of the King's guard to march to the flank of the French defenders and fired a volley into them. What was left of the french then was non-existent after that volley?

"Charge!" Astrid yelled.

 _It's the end, the war has been lost_

 _Keeping them safe till rivers been crossed_

 _Nicht ein Schlact, ein Rettungsaktion_

 _Holding the ground till the final platoon_

 _Hurry up we're waiting for you_

 _Men of the 9th and civilians too_

 _Dispossessed, surrendering to the west!_

The king's guard smashed into the French troops engaging in a brief melee before the French troops ran from the fight. General Kriegsluck got on his horse and fled to the safety of Notre Dame. Astrid ordered for her troops to hold on walls alongside the bridge.

"Private, have Lewenhaupt bring up the cannons. Let's soften them up."

"Yes, sir!"

The Berkians started exchanging shots with the French troops. On the other side of Notre Dame, Rommel and his forces pushed back the French troops on his side of the river.

 _Who'll survive and who will die_

 _Up to Kriegsluck to decide_

 _Those who made it cross without a loss_

 _Have reason to reflect_

Lewenhaupt and his men rode up with six cannons behind them.

"You requested my presence, my lady?"

Astrid shook her head and smiled, "Yes, I did Mr. Lewenhaupt. Set up your guns and soften them up."

"Understood. I am guessing I am not to damage the cathedral itself?"

"You would be correct, I would like to have a wedding in a standing church."

Lewenhaupt nodded and turned to his men.

"What the fuck you standing around for, set up the damn guns!"

The soldiers nodded and started to unlimber the guns. For a brief second, a dark shadow passed over them. Astrid looked up to the sky to see a nightfury and it's rider watching the battle from above. She smiled and looked back at Notre Dame.

"Fire!"

A cannon fired and its shell hit a line of French troops trying to help civilians get away from the fighting. Another gun fired and hit some French troops who were behind cover.

 _It is not about Paris, It's not about the Kingdom_

 _It's about the men who fought for them_

 _What peace can they expect?_

Astrid looked at her men who were crouched continuing to exchange shots. She shook her head and turned to the Colonel of the King's guard and Colonel Ashley.

"The French won't break like this, we need to charge."

"I agree with you, sir."

"Alright here is the plan. Ashley when we charge across the bridge, head hard left. Try to push them on their left. Colonel Erik you'll be with me on the right. Once you wipe out the flank hit the center."

"Yes, sir!"

Astrid stood up and drew her sword.

"Charge!"

The screeching sound of a nightfury was heard and a purple ball of fire hit the French defenders. The men charged forwards on the bridge, their goal was a final victory.

 _It's the end of the war (Hold the corridor)_

 _Reach from Siena's shore_

 _It's the end, the war has been lost_

 _Keeping them safe till the river's been crossed_

 _Nicht ein Schlact, ein Rettungsaktion_

 _Holding the ground till the final platoon_

 _Hurry up we're waiting for you_

 _Men of the 9th and civilians too_

 _Dispossessed, surrendering to the west!_

The troops clashed with each other, sparks flying everywhere. Astrid blocked a stab with her sword and slashed him in the arm. She grabbed one of her pistols and shot one man that was about to kill a nearby soldier. Astrid looked towards the cathedral and saw him, King Louis XIV.

"Colonel Erik!"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Gather a few men, we need to capture the king."

"Got it." He turned to a few men who weren't in any melee combat. "The lot of you, follow general Hofferson, capture King Louis."

"Yes, sir!"

Astrid and the twenty men broke through the French lines and charged towards King Louis. Seeing this, Louis called out to his men.

"Someone help, they are about to get your king!"

A few men heard this cry for help and charged at Astrid and her men. Louis smiled when the two sides engaged in melee. He drew his sword and charged into the fray with his guards. Astrid blocked a bayonet with her sword and elbowed the man in the head. Then a gap opened up, Astrid and Louis stood across from each other. Their weapons were drawn, neither one making a move.

"So this is the famous general Hofferson. The right-hand man to the king himself. I was expecting someone more manly," Louis sneered.

"And you must be king Louis. I was expecting someone shorter and more competent. We destroyed your armies, wrecked your ships and you still put up a fight. I admire your will to fight but it comes at the price of your people."

"My people know what they get themselves into. I am the sun king. Enough of this chat, its time to end this!"

King Louis yelled as he charged Astrid. Astrid brought up her sword and clashed with Louis. The sparks flew everywhere as the two struggled for dominance. Astrid brought back her sword and attempted to stab Louis but he deflected her attack. Louis stepped forward and got his leg behind Astrid causing her to trip. Astrid tried to get up but Louis kept attacking. Louis brought his sword once more and knocked Astrid's sword out of her hand. Astrid tried to crawl away but Louis pointed his sword at her.

"It's over Hofferson."

Louis raised his weapon above his head and was about to bring it down when Stormfly knocked the man off his feet. Astrid smiled at her dragon and quickly grabbed her sword. Louis stood back up and faced the dragon. He was amazed, he had read stories that dragons still lived but never believed these tales. Louis shook his head and focused on the task at hand. He firmed his grip on his sword and went after the beast. The dragon was quick to react, dodging his attacks and using its spiked tail as a weapon. Then when he thought he had the beast cornered, Louis was tackled by Astrid.

When the two of them his the ground, Astrid punched him in the head. Louis tried to get away from Astrid but she quickly overpowered him. Astrid grabbed a knife from her side and held it up to the king's neck.

"Do you surrender?"

Louis shook his head and tried to fight more but she held the knife closer to his neck, drawing blood.

"Do you surrender?" Astrid asked again.

"Yes I surrender," he replied.

"Good now tell your men."

Astrid got up and picked the French king up with her. She continued to hold the knife to his neck as he looked at his men.

 _See the city burn on the other side_

 _Going down in flames as two worlds collide_

 _Who could now look back with a sense of pride_

 _On the other shore, there's the end of the war_

"Men of Paris!" he called out.

His troops looked at him. At the sight of the king with a knife at his neck, the troops lost all hope.

"We can fight no more," he continued. "Lay down your arms, we have lost."

The French did as they were told, laying down their muskets and putting their hands in the air. Berkian troops quickly rounded up everyone and marching them back across the river. Hiccup himself landed to inspect what was going on. Astrid smiled like a little kid on Christmas when she presented the captured French king.

"Good work Astrid." Hiccup turned to the captured French king. "Come, Louis, we have much to discuss."

* * *

Discussions went on for a week on a treaty. The Swedish generals wanted harsh punishments given to the French for the death of many Swedish officers, the Polish wanted reparations for the death of their king, Austria wanted southern France to be given to Holy Roman Imperial states, and Berk, Berk was undecided what they wanted. A council of officers was called to Hiccup's tent where they talked about a treaty.

"King Hiccup, the French bastards must pay for the death of many."

"I understand but we can't punish them severely. It could have disastrous effects in the future. We must be careful, demanding too much could cause the balance of power to be shifted. Now here is what propose. The French will pay reparations to all of us Southern France will be given to the crown of Savoy, a state within the HRE. Poland shall receive what is left of the French navy. Berk will demand the following. The Duchy of Brittany will be released as a independent nation, Colonial France and Lousiana will be handed over to Berk. Berk will not receive any reparations since we are taking the colonies away. Now does that sound good?"

All the officers in the tent agreed. The treaty was brought to Louis in Versailles and it was signed.

 _Treaty of Paris (1691)_

 _I, King Louis XIV Bourbon, agree to the following terms of surrender. France has lost the war and it is time for peace to be restored in France._

 _-France is to break all treaties with the Kingdom of Great Britain._

 _-France is to surrender over half its gold stores to Poland._

 _-Any remaining ships in the French navy are to be surrendered over to Poland._

 _-Southeastern France is to be handed over to Savoy._

 _-The Dutchy of Brittany is to be released as an independent nation._

 _-Colonial France and Lousiana_ is _to be handed over to Berk._

 _-France will pay $4,000,000 to Poland and Austria_

 _-France will recognize Hiccup I Haddock as the true king of Berk, Sweden, Finland, and the Viking tribes._

 _Signatures: Louis XIV, Hiccup I, Albrick of Poland, Frederick of Austria_

Hiccup stepped out of the French palace and looked around the snow-covered city. Berkian flags were raised above every important building in Paris. The Berkian military would remain in France until January. Until then, the King was to be married to his most trusted general.

 **Look at that I finished something. Kinda exhausted cause it's Monday when I'm writing this. Hope you enjoy the chapter! -Dilloncoll**


	30. The Marriage of a King

**Welcome back! Just to let you guys know we are nearing the end of our story, unfortunately. At least, we have about nine chapters left, at most, I do not know. I can only guarantee about nine chapters. On to the reviews.**

 **Guest: No it's not over, Britain is still fighting, France just surrendered and got itself out of the war. As for Viggo, he fled Paris with his troops.**

The sun rose on the destroyed city of Paris, the bloodstained snow glistened in the sunlight. Gunshots would ring out everyone once in a while as a few pockets of French troops remained. The Berkian troops were glad the fighting was mostly over but they knew the war was not won yet. Britain still remained and it would be hell to attempt to land in Britain. However, those thoughts were pushed back for the day as today was the day their king would be married.

Few buildings stood properly, Notre Dame was one of them. The French flags the normally flew over the cathedral was replaced by the Berkian flag. The families of the King and future Queen were brought in by dragon back to witness the wedding of their children. Stoick and Toothless were with Hiccup who was pacing around his headquarters.

"Hiccup, calm down."

Toothless warbled in agreement with Stoick.

"I can't calm down, dad, I'm marrying Astrid Hofferson, my second in command." He sighed and took a seat on the nearby chair.

He was in his military uniform, which had been cleaned and repaired. Medals decorated his chest and his hat had a blue feather on top. The bullet hole in his boot was fixed and was polished, the back leather reflecting the candlelight. Toothless walked over to him and rubbed his head on Hiccup's good leg. Hiccup smiled and patted the dragon's head.

"You know she loves you Hiccup. There is no way she'll fall for another man."

"I know that but I feel like I'm not good enough for her."

"Hiccup, you are the king of Berk. You are the genius behind this whole war. You have done things that no Viking has since the days of Harald Hadrada. You have stood up against the might of Prussia, France, and England. You sacked the city Prague, beat the French on the field of battle, and take the conquerable city of Paris. On top of that, you reformed our military, united the majority of tribes under one banner, and made me proud."

Stoick placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. Tears threatened to fall from Stoick's eyes as he continued.

"I could have never asked for a more perfect son. You are the son I always wanted, not some meathead like Snotlout. And my son is marrying the best warrior on Berk. The two of you are inseparable, not even death could separate you two. Now get on the wagon and get to Notre Dame."

He grabbed Hiccup's hand and pulled him out of the chair and urged him outside. Hiccup stepped inside the red carriage and made his way to Notre Dame.

Hiccup wasn't the only one freaking out, Astrid was talking up a storm as Rosie and Hunter, their brother, watched the girl pace.

"What if I can't produce an heir? What if I can't please him in the bed? What if I-"

"Astrid, calm down," Rosie said.

Rosie looked at Astrid who had stopped pacing around the room. She was in a beautiful white dress that the tailors of Paris made for Astrid. They didn't do it willingly, of course, Rehnskiold had to use some force. She also wore a neckless that had been made from Stormfly's scales. Rosie was in a blue dress that their mother had made for her before her death. Hunter was in a military uniform, similar to most officer's uniforms. Hunter had risen in the ranks of the Berk guard, their uniforms differed from the rest of the military. He wore and bright red shirt with black pants. The shirt had yellow stripes on his sleeve to show his rank. Hunter also had a few medals on his chest for his performance as a soldier.

"I can't calm down Rosie, I'm marrying Hiccup, the king of Berk. He is my best friend and I don't want to disappoint him."

Stormfly chirped loudly at that statement.

"My best human friend," Astrid corrected.

Happy with her rider's statement she lied back down.

"You're overthinking this, Astrid. Hiccup will love you no matter what. Even if you stab him in the back and attempt to kill him, he could never harm you. He loves you too much."

"You're right. I'm just nervous."

There was a knock on the door.

"Yes?"

"My lady it's time."

"Okay."

The three Hofferson left the building they were in and boarded a carriage that was being guarded by cavalry.

 _Notre Dame_

Hiccup stepped out of the carriage and was immediately flanked by his guards. Then men in dark red walked with their king until he got to the door of the church. Hiccup nodded to the men and walked inside.

The pews were filled with officers, formal tribal leaders, the rest of the riders, and leaders from across Europe. Hiccup walked up to the altar and stood next to his best man, Aaron Rommel.

"You look good my lord."

"You as well general Rommel."

"There are royal families from across Europe here. In the 3rd pew behind your father is King Charles II of Spain. He's a Von Habsburg."

"I can tell by the chin."

"Behind him is Tsar Peter of Russia. I would talk to him and secure some treaties of good will."

"Agreed."

"Behind the riders is Peter II of Portugal and next to him is Cosimo III de Medici of Tuscany."

"It's a lot of monarchs."

"Indeed my lord."

An officer walked through the doors of the church and saluted the king.

"My lords and ladies all rise for his holiness, Pope Innocent XII!"

Everyone stood to face the Pope who walked down the aisle to meet the king of Berk. The pope bowed respectfully to Hiccup and kissed his hand. Hiccup also bowed respectfully. Then the doors opened once again and Astrid walked through. Rehnskiold accompanied her up the aisle as children threw roses in front of her. Once they reached Hiccup, Rehnskiold kissed Astrid's cheek and made a gesture towards Hiccup. Astrid smiled and walked up to Hiccup.

"You look beautiful."

"Thanks, you look good as well."

Hiccup smiled and took her hands in his own and the two stood across from each other. The pope opened his book and made a signal he was about to speak.

"Kings, queens, officers, friends, and families, we are gathered here today to witness the union of the Hofferson family and the Haddock family. We are here to witness the marriage of King Hiccup I Haddock, king of Berk, the tribes of the archipelago, Sweden, Finland, Gotland, Riga, and Brandenburg and Astrid Hofferson, second in command to the young king. I don't want to keep all of you here for long so let's do this quick shall we?"

Everyone laughed and the Pope continued you.

"Now, your highness and future queen, please exchange your vows."

"Hiccup," Astrid started. "I know I wasn't the best person to you back when we were kids. I let people bully you and I regret not helping you. Ever since that night with Toothless, I knew who you truly are and that's the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. You are kind, caring, loyal, not Snotlout, smart, funny, and the list goes on. It not marrying you for the power or the status. I'm marrying you because I love you. I promise you Hiccup, I will never leave your side. I love you Hiccup Haddock from the bottom of my heart."

"Astrid, I've been with you since we were kids. Ever action I did was to impress you. You are strong, loyal and the greatest friend I could have. Maybe in another life, I wouldn't be king and we would still be riders, I would still love you. When you were wounded at Berlin I thought I lost you and I did some things out of anger that you have every right at hating me for. I murdered people because I wanted revenge, revenge for killing the woman I love. I try and put that past me but I can't forgive myself. Every word I said that night at Poltava was true. I would go to hell and back for you Astrid. There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid, whether it's us or some random kids off the streets of Viena, there will always be a version of us (A/N hint hint). I love you Astrid Hofferson, always have and always will."

The two of them smiled at each other with tears in their eyes. The Pope nodded and continued on with the ceremony.

"Now, Astrid Hofferson, do you take Hiccup Haddock to be your husband till death do us part. To love and cherish him. To help when he is weak and when he is sick. Do you promise to never leave his side and fall to another man?"

"I do."

"And Hiccup Haddock to take Astrid Hofferson to be your wife till death do us part. To love and cherish her. To help when she is weak and when she is sick. Do you promise to never leave her side and fall to another woman?"

"I do."

"Does anybody have any objection on why these two shouldn't be married."

Snotlout was about to raise his hand but glares from the entire officer's corps, the riders, the Hoffersons, Toothless, Stormfly, and Stoick made him go through with the hand raising. Instead, he chose to scratch the back of his head.

"Then I pronounce husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."

Everyone in the church cheered as the two of them kissed. Stoick felt pride swell in his chest that his boy married the girl of his dreams. Rosie wiped a tear from her eyes as the two of them embraced each other. After what felt like hours, Hiccup and Astrid broke apart and stared into each other's eyes. Rommel put his hand on Hiccup's shoulder and congratulated the two.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, a feast will be held in Versailles so please meet us there. For Non Commissioned Officers, you are to return to your men and inform them that Berk will be starting the return journey home in a week," Rommel said.

Astrid and Hiccup walked down the aisle as praise from everyone reacher their ears. The two of them stepped out of the church and were quickly flanked by six soldiers. They boarded a carriage together and took off for Versailles.

 _Versailles_

The tables that had been set up were decorated with the Berkian flag. The tables were filled with food from all over the known world. At the largest table was Hiccup, Astrid, Rehnskiold, Rommel, Stoick, Hunter, Rosie, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Fishlegs. Other tables were filled with the families of the other European Monarchs.

Astrid rested her head on Hiccup's shoulder as she watched everyone talk with each other. Hiccup kissed the top of her head and looked back at the table. Then surprising her, he sighed.

"What's a matter?"

"It's not the wedding I thought you and I would have had. In my mind, it was you, me, your family, my dad, Toothless, Stormfly, and all of the riders. It doesn't feel the same without Tuffnut."

"I agree but we can't change the past as much as I would like to."

Rehnskiold stood up and hit his cup with a spoon a couple of times to get everyone's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to propose a toast to our king and queen. May they live a long healthy life together and may their children do the same. Long live king Carolus and Queen Astrid!"

Everyone responded with a loud shout of the king and queen's names. Everyone continued to eat as the party continued. Hiccup and Astrid took the time to introduce themselves to the other European monarchs. The two of them first walked up to Charles II who was talking with some of the Berkian officers.

"Charles it is a pleasure to meet you."

"King Hiccup and queen Astrid it's a pleasure. On behalf of the crown of Spain-" Charles grabbed a box off the table and opened to show Astrid. "Jewels from the Americas for the queen."

Astrid gladly took the box of his hand to look at the jewels.

"They are beautiful, thank you."

"And for the king, a sword made from the finest iron in Spain."

"Thank you."

Hiccup took the sword out of Charles's hand and swung around a bit.

"Feels nice, thank you. Enjoy the rest of the party, my friend."

"You as well, congratulations you two."

Hiccup and Astrid walked towards Peter of Russia who was talking with Cosimo. Peter saw the two approach and smiled.

"Ah king Hiccup and queen Astrid, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Si, it is an honor to meet you. When I heard that this young king managed to beat both Prussia and Bohemia in two strokes, I couldn't believe it. Then I hear you march on Paris, you surprised us all young man. As a show of good will between our two countries, Tuscany would like to trade with Berk and once this war is over, an alliance between our two peoples."

"That would be lovely Cosimo."

"King Hiccup, Russia expands far beyond the Urals in the east, we know of peoples not as civilized as you and I. I would like to share a map with you of the known world as well as an alliance between our two kingdoms. My only request is that you let Russia use some of your Baltic ports."

Hiccup stuck out his hand and shook Peter's hand.

"I can accept that deal."

"Wonderful, now go enjoy the rest of the night with your lovely wife."

"Thank you."

Hiccup and Astrid left to go back to their table. As they walked back Astrid turned to Hiccup and started to talk.

"Peter, you think we can trust him."

"No, just in case I want at least twenty thousand troops stationed in Noteburg to keep an eye on the Russian doings in that port. It's the closest port to the Russian border."

"Agreed."

 _London, England_

Queen Anne looked out on the city from her balcony in Windsor castle. The news of France's surrender wasn't surprising, she knew that without the British there, they wouldn't have won.

"My lady, general Grimborn is here."

"Send him in," she said.

Viggo walked into the room and bowed his head at the queen.

"What is your wish, my lady?"

"I am placing you in command of all the armies, Montgomery is from a bygone era of warfare. No doubt the Berkians will attempt to land, we must prepare."

"Agreed, Hiccup is a very smart man, there is no doubt in my mind that he is showing some seeds of discontent in Scotland. I will have troops up there to remind them who their queen is."

"Good. I doubt the navy can hold back the Berkian navy. My spies within the country report that ships are being built by the hundreds. Not only that, the colonies are at risk. I found out France had to surrender over its colonies to Berk. I want your brother to go to the new world and make sure the armies there won't fall."

"I'll let him know immediately."

Viggo started to walk away but Anne stopped him.

"Viggo, I also have on more task for you to handle that should turn the tide of this war."

"And that is?"

"Find Drago Bludvist and tell him that I want to talk about an alliance."

"As you wish."

Viggo turned and left the queen to watch over her city.

 **Wow, something peaceful for once. I think I did a decent job with the wedding, first time writing about this and have never been to a wedding myself so, yeah. -Dilloncoll**


	31. Unexpected Events

**So before we get started I would like to announce that there is now an official discord for the story. I thought it would be a good idea to bring the community closer together and being allowed to talk with you all directly if you have any questions.**

 **StX9S9q**

 **Now to answer some reviews.**

 **Silvolde: They will find out eventually, how I don't know. As for the whole Drago situation, who knows, guess you'll have to read and find out.**

 **Guest: Thanks, and yeah kinda ran out of character names, so I started by pulling names from other stories of mine**

 _Berk, two weeks later…_

Hiccup and Astrid stepped off the Berkian flagship and took their first steps on the Island in almost 2 years. Fishlegs had done a good job at making sure Berk became a grand city. The people gave all the troops a hero's welcome as the Berkian army returned from France. The two of them walked through the town to see what had become of their once small village. Shops lined the streets and merchants by the hundreds were selling their wares. Homes had gone from wood to stone and there were hundreds of homes. Fishlegs told them that that population of Berk had gone up since they had left, he wasn't kidding. Berk looked modern, like a true European city.

"It's amazing," Astrid said to Hiccup who was admiring the town square.

"Yeah, it's amazing what the difference of two years can make."

Rehnskiold and Rommel were also taking in the sights that Berk had to offer. It was the first time the two men stepped on the island and they were blown away at the land that surrounded the city. Streams that ran through the city, forests that covered the western half of the island, the great hall that had become the throne room, the mountain in which it was built, and finally all the dragons that filled the sky.

"If you told me in my youth that dragons existed, I would have said you'd gone mad. I can't believe the number of dragons that are here."

"Indeed Mr. Rehnskiold."

Per their request, the riders were left alone on a small hill that had a single gravestone on it. It read:

HERE LIES TUFFNUT THORSTON

FRIEND, RIDER, GENERAL, AND BROTHER

1674 -1691

Ruffnut knelt by the stone and placed a hand on the tombstone. Her cries were audible and all the riders could do was stand there and watch.

"He was too young," Hiccup said, breaking the silence.

"We are all too young. We are not even eighteen yet and we've been to hell and back," Astrid responded.

"Agreed, I mean Snotlout nearly died at Poltava, Ruff and some close brushes with death and you've been hit by a cannonball so many times I've lost count."

"Three times H."

"You get my point. Tuff's death is a reminder of what war could do to us. His death is a haunting reminder on why we need to end this fighting soon."

Hiccup turned his gaze to the Berk dockyard where the Wolfpack sat, waiting for orders.

"Astrid, did you talk to Rosie about her progress in Scotland."

"I did. The people are ready to take up arms. They have a leader selected, he is a descendant of Robert the Bruce and to honor him, his name is Robert the Bruce."

"Then we must plan for an invasion. The only way this war will end if we beat the British on their home turf. Snotlout, as much as I would like for you to come along with us, I want you and Ruffnut to head to the new world. Cause some trouble for their colonies."

"Okay."

"Fishlegs when we leave for Britain, watch over the kingdom. But that won't be for quite some time, we must guarantee a Scottish rebellion first. Now I'm gonna go look around the city, care to join me milady?"

'Gladly."

 _Edinburgh, Scotland three weeks later_

As ordered, Viggo's troop had marched up to Scotland to restore public order. Many had begun to speak out against British rule while others openly called for rebellion. Mala and Rosie returned to their post in the country watching things over and Bruce joined them. Bruce was a very nice man and willing to help with anything that needed to be done to secure a Scottish rebellion.

The two women and Bruce watched over the current speech from the shadows. Finlay Addair was talking about how the Berkians released Brittany and the same could happen if Scotland aided them in a fight.

"The Berkians, from what I can tell are very nice. Their king, Hiccup Haddock released a nation that didn't ask for its independence. Think of what we could get if we helped him fight the English. Scotland could be free once more, and all we need to do is aid them!"

The people that listened to him cheered while the British soldiers nearby scoffed. They didn't know it but the rebellion was growing. 35,000 Scots were willing to take up arms at the moment and that number was quickly increasing. Rosie and Mala were playing their part in the rebellion well, training these man and women to fight. The two of them believed they could have the rebellion start within the next month.

"Hiccup will be pleased."

"Yes, he will. The seeds of rebellion have been sowed, now all we must do is water the plant."

"Astrid said the Wolfpack is on its way. They have a mission to destroy the coastal fortifications as well as the docks."

"Good, they must weaken the naval power of our enemies. Did she say anything else about the invasion?"

"No, just that Berk will be mustering about 100,000 and that she is pregnant."

"She is?! Does the king know?"

"No, she hasn't told him yet. She's gonna try and hide it from as long as he can so she can join the invasion. I don't agree with that but what Astrid wants, Astrid gets. Hiccup learned that the hard way."

Mala laughed recalling the stories that Rosie had told her about how their relationship came to be.

"We've got a problem," Bruce said, walking up to them.

Bruce led them to the main road and the sight shocked the two women. The army of Drago Bludvist, armored dragons and all, were marching in the streets of the city. Rosie took a step back at the sight before turning to Mala.

"Hiccup needs to know about this."

Rosie broke off into a sprint to her room at a local tavern. She burst through the door and stopped in her tracks. Viggo Grimborn was at her desk, reading all the letters Hiccup and Astrid sent her.

"My dearest sister I am happy to report that the Wolfpack is on its way to do more damage. Hiccup said that he has gathered around 100,000 troops from across the kingdom to land in Scotland. He must know when the rebellion will take place, we can't keep all these troops here for long. Sincerely Astrid Haddock. P.S. I'm pregnant, don't tell Hiccup that, I want to take part in the invasion." Viggo turned to look at Rosie and he smiled sadistically.

"My, my, have you been busy Rosie Hofferson."

Rosie was at a loss for words, she tried to escape but two redcoats blocked her path. Behind them, she could see Mala in handcuffs. The sound of a gun cocking filled the room. Rosie gulped and slowly turned around to face Viggo.

"How did you-"

"It was simple really, all I needed to do was to get a few of your supporters drunk. Rosie Hofferson you are under arrest by the British crown for attempting to start a rebellion. If you do not comply we will shoot you."

Rosie sighed and put her hands up. Viggo smiled and put the gun to her head.

"You made a good choice, take her away!" The soldiers nodded and grabbed Rosie's arms before escorting them out of the Tavern. Viggo followed them outside but went to a few officers.

"Have your men search this city, we must find a man under the name of Robert the Bruce."

"Yes, sir!"

Rosie and Mala were led to a cart and placed inside. The door was slammed behind them and the soldiers laughed.

"Oh, the both of you are going to enjoy you're headed. Right to the coastal forts with the lot of ya!"

Rosie and Mala looked to the ground with despair, they were going to let the Wolfpack kill them. They felt the cart move and watched as people hurled insults at the British.

"They did nothing wrong!"

"They are only young women!"

"Those poor girls!"

"You monsters!"

The people were mad, yes, but they were too afraid of retaliation to do anything. Bruce watched from the shadows as Rosie and Mala were hauled off to who knows where. His best guess was one of the forts on the coast. He ran back to his home and quickly wrote a letter explaining the situation.

 _Dear Captain Dagur,_

 _This message is of the utmost importance in regards to the planned invasion of England. Rosie and Mala have been captured by British troops and are being taken to one of the coastal forts. It is up to you to continue with the attack or pull back to avoid killing the two young women._

 _On top of that Drago Bludvist and his troops have arrived in Edinburgh. Why are his troops here, I do not know. He has an army of Dragons and men, please warn the king or forward this message to him._

 _Sincerely, Robert the Bruce_

Robert rolled up the piece of paper and attached it to the small dragon sitting on his desk.

"Find the Wolfpack, please alert them."

The terror chirped and took off. Robert hoped the little dragon could find the fleet. He grabbed his sword and a musket and went to the secret hideout of the rebellion. Thankfully it was never mentioned on paper.

 _20 miles west of the city_

Bruce got off the horse and was surprised at the sight. More than 50,000 men and women were ready to take up arms at that very moment. Bruce smiled and stood on a nearby crate to address the crowd.

"My fellow countrymen we must come to a decision now, the fate of Scotland depends on it. As you are aware, the young women, Rosie and Mala, have been captured by British troops and are now being held at fort Wallace. Not too far away from that fort is the Wolfpack, a Berkian navy that has been tasked with weakening the British troops in this city.

For the past five months, we have been stockpiling weapons, ammunition, and troops. Now is the time to strike and save them. I cannot ask you to lay down your lives for the sake of independence, I feel as though the Berkians would release us no matter what, but I ask you to lay down your lives so that those two young women can see another day, free from British captivity. Those who wish to fight, we march on Fort Wallace, then to Stirling Castle. Those who wish to remain at peace, so be it, I can't force you into a fight that you don't what. Men of Scotland, today you are children of William Wallace, today you are the children of Robert the Bruce!"

The men and women that surrounded him cheered and began to pick up their guns. Cannons were limbered onto horses and the cavalry mounted their horses. Robert mounted his own horse and watched the troops get ready. Right in front of him, St. Andrews cross and the Royal Scottish flag was lifted into the air.

 _70 miles off the coast of Scotland_

The Wolfpack was making good time as the fleet of 14 ships made their way to their target. Dagur was at the bow of Night watching the waves hit the ship. Then he saw a terror land on the railing next to him with a letter attached to his leg. Dagur took the letter off the dragon and began to read. Once he finished reading he put the letter down and hung his head in sorrow.

"What's a matter captain?"

"We have ourselves a major problem. Two Berkians are being held in one of the coastal forts to deter us from attacking it. On top of that Drago Bludvist and his men have arrived in Scotland. I pray to god that this is not what I think it is."

Dagur rolled up the piece of paper and attached it to the small dragon.

"Give this letter to my brother, hurry!"

The dragon chirped and flew away.

 _Berk two hours later_

The streets were busy with people going to and fro markets, buying what they needed. Things were different in the great hall, Astrid and Hiccup had some time to themselves for once. Hiccup had Astrid up against the wall, the two of them in nothing but their underwear when a terror landed on the desk. Hiccup broke the passionate kiss with a sigh and turned to see what the dragon wanted. He saw the letter attached to the dragon and began to read it. After welt felt like hours to Astrid, Hiccup crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it across the room. Stormfly thought he wanted to play fetch so she went after it.

"What did it say?"

"Rosie and Mala have been captured," he said bluntly.

"What, how?"

"It doesn't say, all it says that British troops captured the two of them and took them to a fort on the coast-"

"One of the Wolfpacks targets!"

"The message was addressed to Dagur to warn him about the situation but I guess he forwarded the message to me. Oh god."

Hiccup planted his face in his palms and moaned in pain. Astrid wrapped her arm around his shoulders and Toothless was quickly by his side. Stormfly dropped the piece of paper at Hiccup's feet and Astrid picked it up. She read the note two, tears filling her eyes. Then she saw the last part.

"Hiccup, who is Drago Bludvist."

Hiccup raised his head and looked at Astrid.

"I don't know. Hopefully, we don't find out."

Hiccup grabbed his tunic and pants before planting a kiss on the cheek on Astrid before rushing out of the room. Astrid quickly followed suit once she got her one clothes on. She caught up to him on the steps and followed him down to the docks. Fishlegs was there watching over the construction ships and traders coming into port.

"Fishlegs!"

Fishlegs turned to Hiccup and Astrid who looked pretty disheveled.

"Hiccup, Astrid, what's wrong?

"Rosie and Mala have been captured."

"Oh god, how?"

"I don't know. I'm going to go find Rommel and Rehnskiold. I'll have them rally the troops. Fishlegs get the ships ready, I can't wait any longer. Today the army leaves for Scotland."

Fishlegs nodded and turned to talk with some of the captains. Hiccup turned to Astrid who looked concerned.

"I know you're going back to the palace to get your uniform, do me a favor and get mine. And for the love of god, don't fall, I don't want my heir being a bit loopy in the mind."

"How did you know?"

"I know you Astrid, Astrid Hofferson doesn't get sick."

"That's Astrid Haddock to you."

Hiccup smiled and began to take off before Astrid called out to him.

"How come you aren't stopping me?"

"Cause I know you too well Astrid. What Astrid wants, Astrid gets, kinda learned that the hard way."

Astrid smiled and planted a kiss on his lips before turning around to head to the palace.

 **If you join the Discord, I'll give you your roles when I am online, kind of finished this during my study hall. - Dilloncoll**


	32. Edinburgh Uprising

**Sorry, update took so long, a lot of things came up this past week. Since the story was started before the Hidden world came out, I'm not gonna include people/ events in the story.**

 **Guest: In terms of them talking about yes, but Heather's grave is on Berserk.**

 _Edinburgh…_

Viggo was at his desk looking at documents that he had captured from the Berkian spies. He read reports of how the young King operated and of the rebellion. Viggo looked up from his desk when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in."

An officer stepped in looking frantic.

"My lord, what is a matter with you young man."

"Sir, the city is rising up in arms. We must act now sir before this gets out of hand."

Viggo put down his papers and grabbed his sword before heading outside. Once he stepped outside, he was met with civilians with torches and guns screaming at his men. Viggo stepped in front of his men and looked at this crowd in pure anger.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of Edinburgh, you have no right in taking up arms against us. Berk will not save you, they will conquer you if you do not remain within the kingdom. They plan to invade Scotland and use all of you for their personal gain. Please disperse, we don't want to have to force you into your homes!"

"Berk is coming to save us, laddie. We demand you to release those two young women."

"I will not release those two spies, if you do not disperse now we will shoot."

The crowd did not move back, only forward. Viggo didn't need to turn around to know that the soldiers around him were nervous.

"You have five seconds to go home now or we will shoot! Five, four, three, two, one, fire!"

Gunshots rang out and seven civilians went down. Women and children screamed at the sight of the fallen but the men attacked. Viggo drew his sword and hid behind his men. He turned to one of his officers who had also drawn his sword.

"Colonel, I must gather the troops from the outskirts of the city. Drago Bludvist and his men are here to help."

Viggo got on his horse and rode off leaving the colonel to help his men hold back the crowd. Drago watched the whole exchange from behind his own men. He walked up to the colonel and looked at him.

"These people must know who their rulers are. I will burn this city to the ground if I have to."

After he said that, two armored dragons landed behind him. He smiled sadistically and with his staff, Drago pointed at the people and the dragons obeyed. The colonel looked at the mountain of a man and watched the flames reflect in his dark eyes.

Bruce and his followers marched up to fort Wallace which was very lightly defended. The men there didn't know what to do with all the people there.

"Back up, this is a military fort, civilians are not allowed here. Go home or we will shoot!" one of the guards yelled.

Bruce sighed and stabbed the man in the gut. A nearby guard saw this and was about to fire his gun but was shot but a nearby rebel. Bruce and his troops stormed the fort shooting or stabbing anyone that got in their way. They fought their way through the courtyard and into the dungeon hoping that Rosie and Mala were still there.

"This sucks," Rosie said.

"I know, that's the seventeenth time you've said that today."

"I can't believe we let ourselves get captured."

Rosie was pacing from within the cell, sometimes looking out at the sea, hoping the Wolfpack were not there. Rosie was pulled from her thoughts when she heard gunshots from around the corner. Apparently, the two soldiers guarding their cell heard it too. The held their muskets tightly and cautiously walked towards the door that led to a set of stairs. They were shocked when it was busted open and three men came pilling out of it. They tried to shoot but were cut down before they could aim their guns.

"Did you miss me?"

"Robert!"

He smiled and grabbed a set of keys off one of the soldiers. He unlocked the cell and let the two women out of captivity.

"The rebellion has risen early. I fear that we might not be successful without Berkian support."

"I understand Robert. Let's hope they aren't too far from here. Do you have any-"

"Swords, here you go." Robert handed the two of them swords. "There are pistols in the armory upstairs. Let's hurry, we must help everyone who is fighting in the town."

 _50 miles off the coast of Scotland…_

78 ships were making their way across the moonlit ocean. They moved silently, the only sound being made were dragons chirping or the wood on the ships moaning under the weight of all of the troops. Astrid sat on the wood railing in the front of the ship, Hiccup behind her. The both of them looked out in the sea in front of them.

"I never liked sailing. I always get seasick when I do. Remember when we were thirteen and Gobber took us all out to go fish."

"Yeah, I remember Astrid. Gobber had to clean that poor boat out for a month."

Astrid smiled and looked around the ship. Rommel and Renhskiold were talking with each other, admiring the dragons as they moved about the ship. Men also moved about, making sure the ship stayed on course. The fleet was designed to carry a Berkian hail mary, an end to the war. 100,000 troops would be making landfall in what Dagur said was another day's worth of sailing as the winds had slowed down. Both Hiccup and Astrid knew that the rebellion couldn't wait for long.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Go by air and support them the best we can?"

"Yep, we are thinking the same thing."

"Then what are we waiting for? Stormfly!"

"Toothless!"

Their dragons were at their sides immediately and took to the skies. The riders didn't have to be told what was going on, they followed their king and queen into the air. The soldiers on the ground watched as nearly three hundred dragons flew over their heads and made their way to their target.

Rosie stabbed a British soldier that had charged at her and Mala shot another one. Robert was right behind them killing any redcoat that got in their way. The three of them were doing their best at fighting the British army in the burning city. Drago's dragons were burning the city to the ground as the two sides fought on. The three of them rushed down a street hoping to find their troops but were met by a dead end.

"Shit, you'll have to take another street."

They turned around and started to run but quickly stopped when they were met with the sight of a large man clad in armor and a dragon hide cape.

"You must be Drago, ruler of the northern lands."

"Your information is correct, I'm afraid it is time to end your little rebellion."

Two dragons landed beside him growling at the three of them.

"What you do to dragons is cruel Drago. The Defenders of the Wing will have your head."

"What I do to dragons is right, they are nothing but animals. Animals that kill for the sake of killing. I will make sure that they will stop by destroying them, or enslaving them all."

"And have your dragon army at your side."

"That's a plus side to enslaving the dragons."

Drago, having enough of the conversation raised his staff and ordered the dragons to attack. With nowhere to go, Rosie, Mala, and Robert were ready to embrace death. The dragons were about to fire when a familiar whistling sound was heard and a purple flame hit the ground in front of the two dragons. Rocks and dirt flew everywhere but it did not faze Drago, he just lifted up his cape to block out the fragments.

Rosie, Mala, and Robert used this opportunity and charged forward. Drago blocked their shots with his staff but they weren't looking to kill. The three of them got behind Drago and ran. Drago was furious and he felt something land behind him, he smiled and turned around to meet the king of Berk but was surprised when he saw a man he thought he killed years ago.

"Drago, we meet again."

"How, I watched you burn."

"It takes a bit more than a little fire to kill me Drago" Stoick spat.

"I guess so. I will finish what I started years ago."

Drago charged Stoick who had now taken out his ax. Stoick's dragon, a rumblehorn named Skullcrusher, followed behind Stoick. The two blades met and sparks flew everywhere. The two men fought with pure anger as each of them blocked their attacks. Stoick was able to get Drago to back up to a wall, he used this to his advantage and tackled him into the wall.

Meanwhile, in the air, Hiccup was directing his riders from the back of Toothless. They were attacking anything that seemed to be fighting the rebels. Astrid was right behind him but she knew deep inside he wanted to go help out his father.

"Hiccup, I have everything from here, go help your dad."

Hiccup nodded and urged Toothless to go land back where his dad was. When he landed he saw the two men struggling to gain dominance in a duel. Hiccup got off of Toothless and put his tail into solo flight mode.

"Go help from the air, they need you up there, I'll be fine," he told the dragon. Toothless gave a soft coon and took off into the air, leaving Hiccup with Drago and his father.

Hiccup drew his sword and ran towards the two large men fighting. Hiccup jumped off a piece of fallen building and brought his sword down on Drago was turned around. Unfortunately, Drago turned around just in time to block the strike. The three men faced each other in a standoff, neither side making a move.

"You must be Hiccup, the king of Berk. Your father must be so disappointed." The last part was directed at Stoick. Stoick was fuming at that comment and charged at Drago. He wasn't expecting that much fury behind the man's strikes. After a few more attacks, Stoick was able to knock Drago's staff out of his hand. Hiccup was moving fast trying to catch up to the two men. Stoick was about to bring down his ax but was stopped when a bullet entered his stomach.

"No!"

Stoick lowered his weapon and clutched his torso before falling to the ground in pain. Drago sat smiling with a smoking pistol in hand, watching as his foe fell to the ground. The man got up off the ground before facing Hiccup.

"Your father was much more powerful then you are. I don't know how you think it is a good idea to face me."

Hiccup didn't say anything and charged the much larger man. Drago picked up his staff and blocked Hiccup's strikes but Hiccup was fast. Hiccup's blade moved fast as Hiccup swung like a madman. Drago eventually lost his balance in Hiccup's fury of strikes and tried to shoot Hiccup with a second pistol. He missed but was able to distract Hiccup so he could grab his staff. When he turned to face Hiccup, he was hit with a knee causing his nose to bleed. Hiccup raised his sword above his head and brought it down but Drago blocked and pushed back. With Hiccup off balance, Drago attacked swinging his staff around to confuse Hiccup into blocking where he wasn't attacking. Hiccup brought his sword down on the staff causing both weapons to clash near the ground. Using what strength he could, he punched Drago in the side of his head. Drago stumbled back allowing Hiccup to capitalize. Hiccup brought his sword above his head and brought it down but Drago blocked again. Drago was able to kick Hiccup in the gut causing him to fall to the ground.

"It's over." Drago brought his staff above his head but stopped when the whistling from a nightfury became audible. The purple blast of fire hit to his right causing Drago to back up. Toothless landed on the ground near Hiccup holding his right wing above the fallen boy to protect him.

"So there is one more, I thought they were all dead."

Toothless roared a Drago and fired at the man. Drago blocked the shot with his dragon hide cape. Hiccup crawled back to his feet and grabbed his sword from off the ground. He watched for a brief moment Toothless fighting Drago. Hiccup shook his head and charged forward. Drago blocked Hiccup's strike but was knocked off balance by Toothless. Hiccup used the opening and stabbed Drago in the gut. The large man roared in fury and dislodged the weapon from his torso. Hiccup fell to the ground in pain when Drago kicked him. Drago was about to march forward but a shot from Toothless forced him back.

"This isn't the last time you will see me, Hiccup Haddock."

With that Drago turned around and ran leaving the two best friends in the street. Toothless waited until Drago was gone before checking on his rider. He nudged Hiccup's hand and the boy got up.

"Hey bud" he murmured.

With some pained moans Hiccup, with the help of his best friend, stood on his feet. Hiccup grabbed his sword and put it in its scabbard. Hiccup tried to take a step forward but he started to collapse. Toothless was quick to get to his side to catch him from falling.

"Thanks."

Hiccup started to walk and Toothless was at his side helping move. He knew where his rider wanted to go, so he moved as fast he could, trying to get him to his father.

"Dad!"

Hiccup collapsed next to his father and grabbed his hand. He pressed an ear to his chest, listening for a heartbeat. After a few seconds, Hiccup didn't hear anything. Hiccup buried his head in his father's chest and for the first time in a long time, he cried.

Fighting within the city was growing more intense as both dragons and men engaged in fierce close quarters combat. Astrid, Rosie, Mala, Bruce, and Stormfly were fighting back as many as they could in the town square.

 _Edinburgh Rise!_

 _Do you remember when the British forced their rule on Scotland_

 _1672 and Europe turned away_

 _From the underground_

 _Rose a hope of freedom as a whisper_

 _City in despair, but they never lost their faith._

 _Women, men, and children fight_

 _They were dying side by side_

 _And the blood they shed upon streets_

 _Was a sacrifice willingly paid_

The British tried to fire at some of the rebels but were cut down by the dragon riders.

 _Edinburgh,_ city _at war_

 _Voices from underground, whispers of freedom_

 _1692 help that somewhat came_

 _Calling Edinburgh,_ city _at war_

 _Voices from underground, whispers of freedom_

 _Rise up and hear the call_

 _History is calling to you_

 _Dùn Èideann, a '_ sabaid _! (Edinburgh, fight!)_

Astrid and Rosie charged forward stabbing any British soldier that still stood. The two of them cleared the street and allowed for their troops to continue to push the British out of the city. Bruce and Mala took a few side streets with their troops and captured British artillery before they could fire their shots. Up in the skies, Drago's dragons were losing the fight and had begun to retreat.

 _Spirit, soul, and heart_

 _In accordance with the old traditions_

 _1692 still Europe turns away_

 _Fighting street to street_

 _In a time of hope and desperation_

 _Did it on their own, and they never lost their faith._

A group of children opened a few windows in a house and threw rocks down upon the retreating British soldiers. Viggo had ordered to hold the line in the south side of the city. Whatever troops still remained in the city now fell back to where reinforcements were.

 _Women, men, and children fight_

 _They were dying side by side_

 _And the blood they shed upon the streets_

 _Was a sacrifice willingly paid_

 _Edinburgh,_ city _at war_

 _Voices from underground, whispers of freedom_

 _1692 help that somewhat came_

 _Calling Edinburgh,_ city _at war_

 _Voices from underground, whispers of freedom_

 _Rise up and hear the call_

 _History is calling to you_

 _Dùn Èideann, a '_ sabaid _! (Edinburgh, fight!)_

Viggo didn't have many men left in the city, maybe 4,000. That wouldn't able to hold off any Berkian troops that landed, he knew that. On top of that Drago had told him he was going to retreat as he was injured.

 _All the street lights in the city_

 _Broken many weeks ago_

 _Break the curfew, hide in alleys_

 _Edinburgh its time to rise now_

 _All the street lights in the city_

 _Broken many weeks ago_

 _Break the curfew, hide in alleys_

 _Edinburgh its time to rise now_

 _Edinburgh,_ city _at war_

 _Voices from underground, whispers of freedom_

 _1692 help that somewhat came_

 _Calling Edinburgh,_ city _at war_

 _Voices from underground, whispers of freedom_

 _Rise up and hear the call_

 _History is calling to you_

 _Dùn Èideann, a '_ sabaid _! (Edinburgh, fight!)_

"General Grimborn, the rebels hold the majority of the city. They outnumber us by many, perhaps we should retreat."

"Agreed, we will unite with Drago's forces south of here. Men of Britain, fall back the city is lost."

The trumpets blared for a retreat and the troops followed the call. The sun began to rise on the flaming city revealing the horrors of the fighting. Dragons and men lie wounded and dead all across the streets. Astrid, Rosie, Mala, and Bruce stood in the town square watching as the people of the town began to say goodbye to their loved ones.

"Wheres Hiccup?" Astrid asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know. Didn't you say he was going to help his father?"

"Yeah, but he could have been back by now."

"Look, it's Toothless."

The sleek black dragon emerged from the smoke with no Hiccup in sight. Astrid felt her heart sink to her feet as she ran over to him. She fell to her knees and hugged the dragon who cooed sadly.

"Where is he?"

"I'm right here."

Astrid looked up from Toothless to see Hiccup clutching his stomach.

"Hiccup!"

Astrid hugged him and kissed his forehead.

"I thought you were dead."

"Not yet."

Hiccup buried his head in her shoulder and mumbled to her, words that she didn't want to hear.

"He killed him, Astrid. Drago killed dad."

Astrid felt a lump in her throat form and held Hiccup tighter. She felt something wet on her shoulder but Astrid knew well enough that it wasn't blood.

 **I know this week was supposed to be When riders become wrestlers but what I had planned was taking too long and I have been sitting on this chapter for a while. Enjoy, the song used was a parody of Uprising, a song about the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. - Dilloncoll.**


	33. Battle of Bannockburn

**Berk has finally made it to Scotland, but will this be enough to destroy the British? So before I answer reviews I want to talk about a scrapped plan that would have taken place during chapter 31 but before the whole. The Berkian army returned from France and they think they could have gotten at least a few days of peace. However, a Viking rebellion forces Hiccup to raise the army once again. He would have had the Wolfpack escort him and his troops to the island. While on the journey Dagur and Hiccup and Dagur talk about their past and make up for events from their younger years. Once on the island, Hiccup and Rommel would lead an assault on a Viking tribe that refused the changing ways of Berk. This part of the chapter would have been based on the song Shiroyama. The song is about a samurai rebellion as a way to show their displeasure with the changing ways of Japan. An imperial army was sent to destroy this rebellion and they end up fighting until the very end when on the dawn after fighting an intense fight, only 500 samurai remain. These 500 men charge the imperial troops one last time before being cut down.**

 **My version of this would see Hiccup and Rommel lead the attack against the Vikings and like the song they are forced to cut down every single one of them. When Hiccup returns to Berk he collapses into Astrid's arms and cries about putting down his own people. Astrid comforts him and eventually, they find themselves in the bedroom. By the way, working on the lemon you kinky bastards hold on. It'll be posted as a one-shot, so be on the lookout for that. This is where Astrid becomes pregnant with the heir of Berk and when she finds out she refuses to tell him for fear that he would force her off the battlefield. Then chapter 32 would have been the capturing of Rosie and Mala and the same events that played out in chapter 31 would have played out but when Berk arrived would have taken place in this chapter.**

 **Hiccup doesn't like killing other Vikings or slaughtering people hence the whole Hiccup's emotional collapse after Prague. He did it out of anger but once the gravity of the situation hit him, Hiccup lost it. With this fight, Hiccup isn't angry, he is fully aware of what is going on and hates that his hands are forced. Like Prague, as soon as the dust settles Hiccup falls to his knees and regrets his actions. He would tell Rommel that he should have tried to come to an agreement with the rebels. Rommel would have replied 'there is no negotiating with rebels. All they want to do is break your country into pieces.' Okay, that's enough rambling time to review the reviews.**

 **Silvolde: Yeah he is but we might not know if they will actually beat both Viggo and Drago. My guess is Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless, Stormfly will work together to bring both of them down.**

 **Guest: yeah kinda had to do it.**

 _Edinburgh…_

Hiccup watched as his father's funeral pyre burned in the harbor. He held Astrid close to him who rested her head against his shoulder. Rommel, Rehnskiold, Lewenhaupt, and Robert bowed their heads in respect. They did not know the man personally but from the stories that they were told, Stoick was a legendary man. Rosie and Mala weren't present, they were ordered to organize the troops for the upcoming attacks. Berk's full army was now on shore as well as needed supplies. The Scottish rebels were given better guns and cannons so that they could fight the British better. After what felt like hours, the ship finally sunk beneath the waves.

"Hiccup, you alright?"

"Yeah, just have a lot on the mind right now."

Hiccup faced the men who joined them who were now looking at them

"Here is the plan. Bruce take your army up to Stirling and take it. Mala and Rosie will accompany you. Rommel, Rehnskiold, Lewenhaupt, we march south. We are going after Drago."

"Aye, I'll take Stirling. I will rally all the clans to our banner."

"Good. Once you take Stirling you are to help other pockets of rebellion. Unify the entire country then march south and meet us. My estimates if we don't lose a fight we should be somewhere around York."

"Understood. God speed king Hiccup."

Bruce walked away to go get his troops ready leaving the Berkian high command at the docks. No one wanted to break the silence that surrounded them. The only noise filling the air was the crackling of the fires that still burned in the city. Rommel and Rehnskiold looked at each other, they both knew the gravity of the situation. Though Rehnskiold was nearly 40 years Rommel's elder, both were extremely bright generals. They knew any mistake, any defeat could be costly. This campaign was different than the ones in mainland Europe. They didn't have the luxury of being able to import food and supplies via land. Supplies and men had to be brought in by boat and dragons. They had to risk being shot down on their journey over the northern seas. If the Berkian army were defeated in battle, losses couldn't be replaced quickly.

"Sir, with all, due respect, we should tread with caution until we can confirm a naval dominance in the Atlantic," Rehnskiold said breaking the silence.

"Agreed my lord. Perhaps instead of going after Drago and this Viggo Grimborn directly, we attack some their ports and draw their army into a battle of our choosing" Rommel added.

Astrid raised her head off of Hiccup's shoulder and looked at the generals. Rehsnkiold wore a Swedish blue uniform, gold stripes on his shoulders marked his rank of Lieutenant General. This made him the third most highest ranking officer in the Berkain army. Behind him was Rommel who dawned a Prussian black uniform, the gold stripes on his uniform signified him as a Major general, one step down from where Rehnskiold stood. The Prussian general had told Hiccup that he was much happier in the Berkian army then the Prussian army multiple times. He said to him that all military decisions would be made the king, and the king only. With Hiccup, he had a voice in the army. Finally, there was Lewenhaupt. Like Rehnskiold, his uniform was blue but the stripes on his shoulders listed him as a Brigadier general. All three generals worked together but behind closed doors, there was a rivalry between the three of them, each one of them trying to gain the king's favor.

"The both of you are right" Astrid started. She looked at Hiccup who had turned his head back towards the ocean. "Hiccup we must be careful."

Hiccup sighed and turned towards his most trusted officers.

"You're right, we can't afford to be careless. Those two can wait for now we must secure a naval victory."

 _Berkian headquarters southern Edinburgh…_

"Ladies and Gentlemen" Hiccup started. "Our plan of action has been decided. We will not attack the British who have retreated south of here. Instead, we will march along the coast and attack the port of Dunbar. Leading the collum will be Astrid and the first division. I want the thirteenth Finnmark Rangers and the first Berk dragon riders scouting ahead. Behind the first division will be half of Rommel's third division. The other half will be guarding Lewenhaupt and the supply wagons located in the center of the army. Rehnskiold and the second division as well myself will move a bit south of the army. We will take the surrounding roads and hold them, no doubt the British will attempt to attack us. We will guard the main army as the rest of you destroy the harbor. The second Berk riders will follow the main British army's movements closely and will report back to us with all information on their location."

All the officers in the small building nodded in agreement with Hiccup's speech. It was Astrid who spoke up next.

"I want my Valkyries leading behind them will be the 40th Ostergotland. We can't afford to get ourselves into a major engagement. Stay close with the main army, don't stary too far. The goal is to destroy the port of Dunbar, our scouts report that there are thirteen ships docked there another two appear to be either under construction or being repaired. And as always don't go after personal glory. As the king mentioned we can't get into any major engagement. The reason for this is obvious, we don't have the luxury of having our supplies being delivered by land. The Wolfpack will be hard at work fighting off any ship that dares attack our convoys but we can take the load off them by destroying ships that are docked."

"We have a long march ahead of us, get your rest for a couple of hours then we move out. Do we all understand?"

"Yes sir!" the entire officers replied.

"Good, meeting dismissed."

 _Bannockburn, three days later…_

As planned the Scottish army marched north for Stirling. News of the battle in Edinburgh had spread fast across Scotland thanks to Hiccup's dragon riders. What was left of the old Scottish clans were now up in arms against England in an attempt to gain their independence. 24,000 men from across the eastern half of Scotland were now present. Men from western Scotland were also present but were in smaller numbers. Bruce had set up his army just south of Stirling Castle, on Bannock burn. The troops were armed with Berkian made muskets, as well as cannons made from gronckle iron. Bruce, held this position because of a British army under the command of the now Major General Montgomery was nearby on top of the Castle still being in the hands of the British. Montgomery had been stationed in Aberdeen when the fighting in Edinburgh broke out. He had been ordered to march over to Stirling Castle with his 45,000 troops and hold the area until more troops could arrive from the main army.

Bruce stood with his generals on a small knoll that overlooked the two small creeks he had chosen to hold. Bruce had split his army to ensure the Stirling Castle remained under siege. 14,000 troops were sieging Stirling Castle, 23,000 were in the town of Bannockburn and east of the city, 10,000 were to the west of the main army, the main army under Bruce had 31,000 troops.

"No doubt the British will send everything at us, eh Bruce?"

"Yes Wallace, I want your men as well as Robert's men to deploy on Bannock burn. Be aware that there are at least 300 meters of open ground behind you, so if you retreat move fast so the cannons can cover your retreat."

"Yes sir" the two men in question responded.

"I want eight cannons with them just in case, they are gonna need that close up firepower. James, Thomas, you are going to be with me holding the line on Mill lade. That's where the majority of the cannons will be placed."

"Yes, sir" James replied.

"Sir, my boys are itching to fight can I please be moved up to Bannock burn."

"No, I need your men here. No buts. Move!"

The men nodded and ran over to their horses. Soon their troops moved out, getting into position for the days fighting. Robert looked back towards Stirling. The castle still waved the British flag but he knew that would soon change.

 _Two hours later…_

Bruce's men were in position and were now waiting for the British to appear. Bruce sat on his horse next to James and Thomas who were watching the troops at Bannock Burn.

"Do you think we're holding for nothing?"

"No James. I trust king Hiccup's dragon riders. They said that the-'

Bruce was cut off by the sound of musket fire to his west.

"Gunfire…" Thomas muttered.

"Yeah from Bannockburn," James added.

Bruce turned to Rosie and Mala who had accompanied the army to Stirling per Hiccup's request.

"The both of you ride into town, let me know what is going on."

"You got it," Rosie replied.

The two women rode away in the direction of the town leaving James, Thomas, and Bruce behind.

 _In the town…_

Smoke filled the main road as Scottish troops under the command of General Edward shot at British troops who had formed a line across a bridge. There were a few holes in the ground from where cannons had struck and near them fallen men. Rosie and Mala rode up to the general who was on foot.

"General Edward, what in the name of God is going on here?" Rosie asked.

"British troops marched up the road-" Edward was cut off by a cannonball hitting the ground near them. Once the dust settled he continued "They started a gunfight not long ago. This isn't the main force though, they are going to try and flank around. Please go warn Bruce!"

"Will do!"

Rosie and Mala rode off to tell Bruce of the happenings in Bannockburn. Edward looked back towards his men as they fired a volley into the British troops.

 _West of Bannockburn…_

Bruce sat on top of his horse, looking out at the men who had taken the position on the small creek. Rosie and Mala rode up to him in a hurry, the events in the town still fresh in their minds. Bruce turned to the two women to see what as going on.

"British troops have attacked General Edward in the town. No more than just a couple regiments though, maybe 1,000 men. General Edward believes that they will be flanking around."

As soon as Mala said that a courier rode up to the three of them.

"British soldiers have been sighted marching this way."

Another one rode up to them.

"Sir, General Wallace reports that none of his men know how to work the cannons."

Bruce was left speechless until Rosie spoke up.

"I can teach them, don't worry."

Rosie followed the courier back to where he came from leaving Mala and Bruce behind. Once she made it there, Rosie truly saw what they were up against. Waves of redcoats were marching towards them, just out of cannon range. Rosie rode over to the cannons and jumped off her horse. The men that were supposed to be manning the guns just stood there and watched her dumbfounded.

"Alright quick rundown of how to load and fire a cannon. First, the bag of gunpowder goes in the barrel. Next, cannonball goes in. Depending on the range, your shot will vary. If you are firing at medium to long range, use a round shot. It's a 16-pound iron ball, good for ripping holes in a line at a range. Then we have an explosive shell, good for short to medium range. Takes out maybe ten men twelve if you're lucky. Finally, we have the canister shot. This is made for short range only. Inside these canisters are 2-pound iron balls, about twelve in each. When fired they can wipe out entire lines, especially if you are firing double. Now since they are a bit far out now, we will fire round shots. Once you place the shell in the barrel take the ramrod and with the wooden end, you will push the shell as far back as it can go."

Rosie started ramming the gun as the Scottish crews watched.

"Once it is far enough back get clear of the gun barrel and cover your ears. Whoever is behind the cannon will pull this string" Rosie said while holding up the string. "Once it is pulled the gun will fire. Since these cannons are made from gronckle iron, they will not heat up as fast as regular cast iron cannons. After every 15 shots take the spongelike end of the ramrod, dip it in water, and shove it down the barrel to cool the gun. Any questions?

The men shook their heads no.

"Good, I will stay here and make sure you fire these weapons correctly, so get your guns and prepare for the fight!"

 _British lines…_

General Montgomery was not pleased that the Scottish blocked his way to Stirling. He knew this could only mean one thing, the rebels were sieging the castle. Montgomery had to find a way around the Scottish and he thought he had but soon realized the there were Scottish troops on Bannock burn as well.

"General Preston."

"Yes sir?'"

"How many do you think are defending the burn?"

"I don't know sir, maybe couple thousand. I wouldn't think they would advance so far out without friendlies behind them on Mill lade."

"General, your division must throw any defenders off that creek. You will be accompanied by General Daniel in the attack."

"Yes, sir."

Preston left to go tell his men to move forward. Montgomery had his horse trot to a small hill that overlooked the field between his position and Bannock burn. General William rode up behind him and took out his telescope to survey the field. William was a Scottish general in the British army. The men he commanded were from across Scotland and they didn't want to fight today.

"General William, if needed your men will be sent in."

"Aye, I'll lead my men into battle but I can't tell them to fire at their brothers."

"William, you will tell your mine to fire and that's an order!"

"Fine but any Scottish blood spilled today will be on your hands, not mine."

William rode off leaving a very mad Montgomery behind. Montgomery watched as the man left before taking a swig from his canteen. The colonel of artillery rode up to Montgomery and took a look at his commanding officer before speaking.

"General, the cannons are in place shall we fire?"

"No, let the infantry march first we don't know how many men lay beyond those trees. It could be the entire rebel army, which we can't fight in open battle without reinforcements."

"Yes, sir."

The British troops began to march forward as the bands played march of the grenadiers. Preston was confident that his men would break any resistance. Soon enough, they were in the range of the cannons placed by the Scottish.

"Fire!" Rosie yelled.

The cannons unleashed their 16-pound shells at the British. Men were sent flying as they continued to march towards the Scottish lines. Montgomery was concerned that the enemy had guns set up.

"Colonel, you may fire when ready."

"Yes, sir!" He turned to the nearby cannon crews. "Fire!"

The British cannons fired, the shells flying over their own infantry and striking the tree line where the Scottish. Some Scottish troops were sent flying but for the most part, the British cannons did not hit their target. Soon the British were close enough to the Scottish troops, every regiment aimed their guns at the incoming British.

"Fire!" Wallace yelled.

The troops listened to him and fired a huge volley at the British. Many fell to the lead bullets hitting them. The British held position and fired back, they hit their mark as a bunch of Scottish troops fell to the ground. Rosie's cannons fired again, the iron balls wiping out an entire regiment of soldiers. The British cannons didn't let Rosie go uncontested, they fired back doing more damage than before.

Bruce lowered his telescope from his eyes, the gun smoke becoming too thick to see the troops fighting. The man bit his lip before speaking to one of his nearby aids.

"Private, find out what's going on."

"Yes, sir!"

The man rode off leaving Bruce to watch the fighting from where he sat.

 _Now that our time has come to fight_

 _Scotland must unite_

 _We'll make a stand on Stirling ground_

 _And put a challenge to the crown_

Rosie watched as the troops fired at the British, the orderly firing breaking down into pure chaos. She watched as a few men tried to pick up a fallen man only for them to get shot down as well. A rider rode up to her and she turned around to face him.

"Miss Hofferson, what's the status?"

"We are under heavy fire, we are holding but I don't know how long. They have more men in reserve."

"Understood."

The man rode off and Rosie started to walk over to Wallace who was directing his troops. She was stopped in her tracks when a cannonball sent her flying. Some nearby soldier rushed to her side but Rosie was able to get back on her feet by herself.

"I'm fine, just go back to your post."

Rosie made her way over to Wallace who didn't notice her almost getting hit.

"Wallace."

"Yes, lass?"

"How goes it?"

"Fine, the boys are holding. No way I'll let the Englishmen breakthrough."

As soon as he finished speaking a bullet entered his gut. Wallace fell off his horse and into the water below. Rosie rushed to his side and lifted his head above water. The water around them was red from the blood pouring out of the man.

"I'm fine," Wallace said, pain evident in his voice. Wallace rolled over and picked himself up off the ground. He stood and smiled at Rosie. "Takes more than just a bullet to kill me, lass."

Wallace turned around and started to walk towards his men before getting shot with a second bullet, this time right through his skull. Rosie watched as the man fell back into the water and winced as another cannon shell sent four men flying. She ran over to a tree and took cover behind it before peering over her shoulder to see what was in front of them. What she saw was scattered bodies with a few regiments still standing. The Scottish had thrown back the first wave of attackers but a voice in the back of her head told her otherwise.

Montgomery was not happy that Preston failed to push back the enemy. He turned to General Daniel who argued to wait for his troops to arrive in full before sending them into battle.

"Are all your men here?"

"Yes sir and they are ready for a fight, sir."

"Good, attack."

"Yes, sir!"

Daniel rode off to tell his men to go get ready. Montgomery turned back towards William who sat on his horse and smoked a cigar.

"If Daniel is unable to break through the enemy I will have no other choice but to send your men in."

William turned his head to face Montgomery and nodded before blowing smoke at the man's face. Montgomery sighed and watched Daniel's men march into battle.

Rosie ran over to Richard who looked nervous.

"Robert, what's wrong?"

"Another wave of redcoats are coming. I am pulling the reserve forward."

"Understood."

Rosie drew her sword and followed the troops up to the frontline. They had to step over piles of bodies before they could get to where they wanted. Bannock burn flowed red, smaller soldier's bodies floating in the water. Once they made it across the water they took up position in the ditch and fired a volley at what remained of Preston's troops. The cannons quickly followed suit by unleashing a volley of cannonballs at the British troops.

 _We are one, we have come_

 _We're here to break and end the occupation_

 _We have our nation's fate in hand_

 _It's time we make our final stand_

 _Rally all the clans_

 _Englishmen advance_

 _Blood of Bannockburn_

 _Point of no return_

Rosie stuck her sword into the ground and took out her pistol and began to fire. To her left and right, soldiers continued to fire at the incoming British troops. Where Bruce sat, he could see nothing just the smoke produced by the rifles. Just then a courier rode up to him with good news.

"Sir, Stirling has fallen. Our flag has been raised on the city."

"Good, have the troops reinforce our position."

"Yes, sir!"

The man rode off leaving Bruce looking towards Bannock burn.

"Find out what is going on private."

"Yes, sir."

The soldier rode off towards the small creek.

Daniel rode up to Preston who was looking nervous. It was evident that there was a massive loss of life for his men. 17 union jacks had left with Preston, only 5 still flew over the heads of the British troops.

"General Preston, how goes it?"

"Bad, I won't be able to make any attack if we break through the enemy here."

Daniel was about to respond but a cannonball struck the ground beside them. A Scottish volley wiped out a bunch of Daniel's troops who had just started firing.

 _Join the Scottish revolution_

 _Freedom must be won by blood_

 _Now we call for revolution_

 _Play the pipes and cry out loud_

Rosie and her men fired another volley at the British, cutting them down even more. Richard rode up beside her and began to yell over the gunfire.

"Lass we can't hold much longer we must retreat!"

Rosie nodded and yelled at her troops.

"Everyone fall back!"

The troops didn't waste a second before running. The English saw this and took advantage.

"Charge!" Preston yelled.

Daniel's and Preston's troops ran after the retreating Scottish but Rosie had a trick up her sleeve. She had her troops hold on the other side of the the creek bed and aimed at the charging British. They held until the British were almost on top of them.

"Fire!"

The Scottish fired a massive volley at the British who were now almost as point blank range. The cannons fired cannister as well and many British troops went down. Once they fired their shots Rosie and the troops began to run back to where Bruce and his men were.

Preston jumped off his horse and went over to his men the still stood. Daniel was in shock, half of his troops were killed or wounded in just one volley. Montgomery and William rode up behind them and looked at the devastation in front of them.

"My lord…"

"General Montgomery we can't attack them, we don't have enough men."

"You are right" Montgomery turned to William who sat there and smoked his cigar. "William, you must attack now."

William simply nodded and threw his cigar into the bloodstained creek. His Highlanders had moved up with him and now they were ready to make the attack.

"Men of Britannia, forward march!"

There was no response from his men, just a simple acknowledgment of his orders. 13,000 troops emerged from the trees and began to make the perilous journey across the field. Across the field, Bruce held his head high as the enemy marched forward.

 _We need a king to rule the land_

 _Bruce is in command_

 _It is the crown that's in his sight_

 _And it's the reason we will fight_

 _To attack, send them back_

 _And then we'll see to Bruce's coronation_

 _We are the Scots with guns in hand_

 _And we will die to claim our land_

The troops from Stirling Castle arrived and reinforced Bruce's lines. Rosie and Mala took cover behind the makeshift cover the troops had set up. The cannons began to fire at the incoming troops, their shots hitting there mark.

 _Rally all the clans_

 _Halted English plans_

 _Battle of Bannockburn_

 _Freedom we shall earn_

 _Join the Scottish revolution_

 _Freedom must be won by blood_

 _Now we call for revolution_

 _Play the pipes and cry out loud._

William dodged a shell that landed right next to him. He knew his men weren't going to make it which is why he did something that would get him court-martialed.

"Lay down your arms, we are to surrender."

10,000 troops laid down their muskets and put their arms in the air. Bruce was ecstatic with the sight he was seeing, Montgomery not so much.

And as the hammer lost his crown

And a weak heir to succeed it

Play the tunes of Victory

Play them higher and higher tonight

Bruce gave the order to capture the soldiers and they did. The troops from Stirling advanced to Bannock burn and with a wounded army, Montgomery made his retreat.

 _Wallace showed the way (William Wallace, not General Wallace)_

 _Led us to this day_

 _Here at Bannockburn_

Freedom _we have earned_

 _Join the Scottish revolution_

 _Freedom must be won by blood_

 _Now we call for revolution_

 _Play the pipes and cry out loud._

 _Join the Scottish revolution_

 _Freedom must be won by blood_

 _Now we call for revolution_

 _Play the pipes and cry out loud._

 _Nightfall, Bannockburn…_

It was soon revealed to Bruce that the men who had surrendered were Scottish. They were quickly released and given a welcome into the army. The Scottish camps were filled with the sound of bagpipes playing tunes, celebrating a victory. Rosie and Mala were off to the side watching as the soldiers celebrated.

"We did good, they are able to fight on their own."

"Indeed Rosie, today we watch a rebellion become a kingdom."

"Now all that's left is ending the war."

William overheard the two's conversation so he decided to tell them what he knew.

"Anne won't keep fighting for long. If York falls to Berk she'll surrender. As far as I am aware a peace treaty is being drafted by parliament now."

A dragon rider landed in camp with urgent news. Rosie and Mala looked at the man, he looked battle-scarred. They knew a fight might have broken out in Dunbar but from the way the man looked, the fighting must have been intense.

"My friend, what brings you to our camp?" Bruce asked.

"Tragedy sir. We have won at Dunbar but it has come at a terrible cost."

"What cost is that," asked Rosie who was freaking out mentally.

"The king… he has been struck down. Carolus Rex…" The next words the man said punched every bit of happiness out of the army's gut. "Carolus Rex is dead."

 **I have nothing to say all will be revealed in the next chapter. - Dilloncoll**


	34. The Death of a King

**And now for the chapter that you've been all waiting for… What happened at Dunbar?**

 **CommanderGreya: Yeah, the whole story is inspired by the story of Charles XII of Sweden. Hiccup is Carolus Rex but in terms of this story, Carolus Rex means great leader.**

 **Silvolde: Carolus Rex is Hiccup**

 **Guest: yep, gonna assume you met god not good.**

 **Joshben4c: Yeah kinda forgot about that, the whole dragon gas bombs. I'll fix that in this chapter. Yeah, in later chapters I use the dragons to their full extent.**

 _Dunbar, the same day, morning…_

Hiccup sat at his desk finishing his breakfast. Gobber was a wizard when it came to cooking which is surprising considering he only has the one hand. Hiccup put down his plate and picked up the cup of ale a drank a bit before standing up. To the army, it just felt like a normal in the field but to Hiccup the air around him felt off. He felt like something bad was going to happen but Hiccup couldn't dwell on it for too long, he had an army to lead. Hiccup put on the rest of his uniform and stepped outside. He watched as troops moved around, then his eyes fell upon his beautiful wife and second in command. Hiccup smiled and walked over to her.

"Hey, milady."

"Morning babe."

Hiccup shared a quick kiss with Astrid before patting Stormfly. Toothless was off entertaining the men, Hiccup could hear the laughter from the troops.

"You seem off, everything alright?"

"Everything is fine Astrid, I'm just glad that this war will soon be over."

Astrid wasn't convinced, she folded her arms over her chest and looked at him.

"Fine, I'm worried about today. Something feels off, I fear something bad may happen."

"I'll make sure something bad doesn't happen. All you got to do is keep the British off my ass as we burn those ships."

"Will do milady."

Astrid smiled at Hiccup before turning back to Stormfly. Hiccup took one last look at Astrid and began to walk off to find Rommel, Rehnskiold, and Lewenhaupt. He found them where Hiccup knew they would be, sitting around the campfire and listening to the regimental bands playing their songs.

"Gentlemen."

"My lord" all three of them replied.

"Today will be a good day. Dagur told me that he beat the British navy off the coast of Iceland. 30 British ships are now at the bottom of the sea, only a couple of our ships were lost."

"Any belonging to the Wolfpack?" Rommel asked.

"No, which is good. Now those ships in the port of Dunbar are the last remnants of the British navy, if we are able to destroy them we guarantee naval supremacy."

Hiccup looked at the ground for a bit before speaking to his generals again.

"For some reason, today seems off to me."

"How so?" Rehnskiold said.

"I feel like something bad is about to happen. Gentlemen in the event of my death can I hear a guarantee that you will protect Astrid, in the event of my death I want to know she will be safe."

"You have our word, Carolus Rex" Rehnskiold responded.

"My wish, if I am to die, is that Astrid is to become not a just a reagent but the Queen of Berk. Can I put my faith in the army that they won't overthrow her."

"I will serve our Queen until the end my lord" Rommel said.

"I have known Astrid for nearly 3 years now. In the event of your death, she will make a good Queen. She has my support" Rehskiold replied.

"The artillery is at her command, my lord!" Lewenhaupt yelled.

"Calm down Lewenhaupt," Hiccup said.

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, means a lot to me. Now go get the troops ready, today we secure true naval superiority."

"As you wish" the three men responded.

Hiccup began to walk away before Rommel called out to him.

"Oh forgot to mention, the dragon gas bombs have been completed and ready for some trial by fire!"

"Have your 3rd regiment of dragon riders carry them into battle."

"Yes, sir!"

 _Two hours later…_

Astrid and her staff rode up on to a hill that overlooked the town. She took out her telescope and began to scout out the city.

"What do you see my queen?"

"36 ships, 5 appear to be under repair and looks like they are building a couple more. There are no troops as far as I can see, maybe there is a militia but we can disperse them quickly."

A dragon rider landed next to her with word from Hiccup.

"My lady, the king wanted me to tell you that general Rehnskiold and his troops are almost in position. You are to attack when ready."

"Tell king Carolus that my men are moving in now."

"Yes, sir!"

The nightmare took off, heading back from where the two came from. Behind Astrid, her troops continued to march towards the town. Colonel Ashley, leader of the Valkyries rode up to her.

"Do I have your permission to attack the town?"

"Yes, attack without haste!"

Ashley nodded before riding back over to her troops. Above her, Rommel's Ghost Regiment flew towards their targets. Astrid watched as some of the ships were covered with the zippleback gas, the green smoke filled the port. Then a few dragons dove down and fired at the ships causing the gas to explode. Astrid smiled, once again Hiccup's bright mind did good work.

"Come on boys, let's go make sure ships burn!"

 _Outside Dunbar…_

Hiccup watched as flames licked the skyline behind the city. His bombs must have worked, smiling he turned to go face the field of battle. This is what he was worried about, the full might of the British army was barring down on him and Rehnskiold.

 _I stand alone_

 _And gaze upon the battlefield_

 _Wasteland_

 _Is all that's left after the fight_

 _And I'm searching a new way to defeat my enemy_

 _Bloodshed_

 _I've seen enough of death and pain_

 _I will run - they will hunt me in vain_

 _I will hide - they'll be searching_

 _I'll regroup - feign retreat they'll pursue_

 _Coup de grace, I will win but never fight_

 _That's the Art of War!_

"Rehnskiold get ready, today will be a good fight. Private!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Tell Lewenhaupt to set his guns up behind me. Tell Astrid and Rommel what's going on after you get Lewenhaupt!"

"As you wish my king!"

The soldier rode off to go execute Hiccup's orders. Hiccup took out his telescope and looked at the British troops. He could clearly see the difference in appearance Drago's troops had compared to the British. Then he saw him, the man that killed his father. Hiccup's blood began to boil at the sight of Drago, Rehsnkiold saw this and put his hand on the king's shoulder.

"You can get your revenge in due time, my lord. Now we must focus on the fight at hand."

You're right. Is Lewenhaupt here yet?"

"No sir, we are without support from the artillery."

 _That's the Art of War_

Hiccup nodded and continued to look at the incoming enemy troops. He had chosen good ground to fight on. The Berkian troops were behind a wood fence that ran the length of the road. The British had to advance up a small hill in order to get to the Berkian troops. Rommel, Lewenhaupt, and Astrid rode up behind the two men who were looking at the enemy. Toothless and Stormfly quickly landed beside the Berkain high command as if it was a makeshift staff meeting.

"You two look dirty, what did you do burn down a couple of buildings," Hiccup said gesturing at Rommel and Astrid who had ash and soot all over them.

"No, we were burning down ships" Astrid responded.

Hiccup laughed and turned back towards the enemy, the smile disappearing.

"Lewenhaupt, are your fucking guns going to show up?"

"Here they come!"

The cannons appeared from inside the town and began to set up behind the infantry.

"Astrid I want you on the right flank, Rommel on left, Me and Rehnskiold will be in the center."

"Yes sir" the three of them responded.

"Lewenhaupt you may fire when ready."

The Swedish general nodded and rode off to his guns. Astrid and Rommel rode off to go set up their troops leaving Hiccup, Rehnskiold, Toothless, and Stormfly where they stood.

"Well, what are you two waiting for, lead the dragons," Hiccup said.

Toothless grunted and took to the sky, Stormfly following. Lewenhaupt's guns began to light up, their projectiles hitting their targets. Hiccup walked behind his men watching as the enemy marched closer to him. Explosions could be heard from where he stood, a sign that the cannons were doing good work. He looked out at the field watching as cannon balls hit the British troops.

"Sir, you think we'll win?"

"Colonel, I know we will win."

 _Viggo's lines…_

Viggo looked out at the Berkians, they were in a good spot. He knew that but he must continue the attack in order for his plan to succeed. Viggo turned to the man next to him, he was dressed in a Berkian uniform to disguise his true identity

"Krogan, get into position."

The man nodded and rode off.

 _Berkian lines…_

Hiccup walked over to Rehnskiold who was still on his horse.

"General, when they get in range they will shoot you."

"True but I can't walk my lord, you know that. I'm in my 70s, sir."

"Just be careful, please."

"Yes, sir."

Hiccup walked back over to his troops and looked at the enemy. They were now in the range of musket fire.

"Fire!" Hiccup yelled.

The troops aimed their guns and fired at the British troops. Hundreds of Viggo's troops fell to the musket fire. The British soldiers stopped and began to fire back, Drago however, continued to march forward with his men. Cannon shells ripped men apart as they continued to march at the Berkians. Dragons dive-bombed the troops as well as wiping out as many as they could.

 _Breaking the will to fight among the enemy_

 _Force them to hunt me_

 _They will play my game_

 _And play by my rules_

 _I will be close but still untouchable_

 _No more will I see suffering and pain_

 _They will find me no more_

 _I'll be gone_

 _I will have them surrounded_

 _They will yield without a fight - overrun_

 _Overrun_

 _Coup de grace_

 _I'll win but never fight but never fight_

 _That's the art of war!_

Drago watched as the men around him were killed. He yelled in anger before calling out over the sounds of battle.

"Hiccup, face me like a man!"

Hiccup heard the challenge and rode his horse out to meet Drago. Once he got close the two stared each other down as the battle raged on all around them.

"It's over boy, once your dead your empire will fall apart."

"When I die, my empire will last for years."

"We'll see. As the last thing, you'll remember I'll tell you this, don't worry about your wife I'll take good care of her."

Hiccup screamed in pure anger and charged Drago. Drago brought up is staff and blocked Hiccup's sword. The young man swung madly at Drago and each strike was blocked. Across the field, Rommel and Rehnskiold watched as the two men fought. Astrid rode up to them and saw what they were looking at.

"Well, what are you waiting for, come on we need to help him."

The two men nodded and followed Astrid over to the melee between the two leaders. Drago pushed Hiccup back and knocked him off his feet.

"Hiccup!"

Hiccup tried to left his sword up but Drago stepped on his hand. Drago smiled and kicked the sword away from its wielder.

"It's over boy you've lost."

Drago lifted up his staff and was about to bring it down on the boy when three gunshots rang out. The bullets struck him in the side causing him to stumble a bit. Hiccup used this opportunity and grabbed his sword and stabbed Drago in the gut.

"Ahh!"

 _Broken and lost_

 _Tired of war_

 _They'll surrender to me_

 _Caught it my trap_

 _There is no way out_

 _Fail never again!_

Hiccup stood back on his feet and removed the sword from Drago's gut. Rommel dismounted his horse and charged at Drago. Drago was able to block his strike and forced him back. From behind him, Hiccup slashed Drago on his back. Drago turned around to face Hiccup, another two bullets entered his back causing him to fall to one knee. Hiccup brought up his sword above his head and brought it down on Drago. He blocked it once again and stood back up to face Hiccup.

"You… won't… kill… me boy."

Drago charged Hiccup and brought his staff down on him. Hiccup blocked and surprised everyone by cutting off Drago's hand. The man fell to his knees as Hiccup and his staff surrounded him. Hiccup brought his blade up to his neck and stared him down.

"He is too dangerous to be kept alive," Rommel said.

Hiccup looked to Astrid who nodded. He looked back at Drago and cut off the large man's head. The decapitated body fell to the ground and an early silence surrounded them. Hiccup brought up his blade to his face before grabbing a rag and cleaning the blade. The four of them turned around and began to head back to their troops but was stopped when the sound of hooves filled their ears. The Berkian high command turned around to face the man that rode up to them.

"You must be King Hiccup Haddock the first. You are a lot smaller then I imagined."

"And who are you?" Hiccup responded.

"I am Viggo Grimborn, General of all British troops that serve her majesty the Queen. I must say good work on bringing down Drago, remarkable feet if I do say so myself."

"Unless you're here to surrender, get lost before we shoot you."

After the comment, Astrid, Rommel, and Rehnskiold drew their pistols and pointed them at Viggo and his staff. Viggo held his arms up, his staff copying him.

"Relax, we will leave. This won't be the last time we meet Hiccup. You are a worthy adversary and it'll make my victory so much sweeter when I beat you."

Viggo laughed and rode off his staff following him. Hiccup sighed and turned around to head back to his troops. His staff followed him with them getting ready to mount their horses. Rommel glanced over his shoulder and saw Viggo aiming at Hiccup.

"My lord look out!"

Rommel shoved Hiccup out of the way as Viggo fired. The bullet grazed Rommel's side but it was enough for the man to fall to the ground. Hiccup, Astrid, and Rehnskiold faced Viggo and fired at him, their bullets hitting his staff and his shoulder. Viggo cried out in pain and rode off this time the Berkians made sure he left the field. Hiccup crouched down at Rommel's side before speaking.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine, the bullet grazed me."

Rommel stood up and fixed his uniform before facing Hiccup.

"Had you been standing there, the bullet would have gone through your back."

"Well let's be glad that didn't happen."

Hiccup picked Rommel's pistol and handed it to him. Rommel holstered the weapon and looked out at the battlefield for a brief second before turning back to Hiccup.

"I think we should leave, we are a prime target."

"Agreed, mount -"

Hiccup was cut short when a bullet hit him in the back. Hiccup fell to his knees as his staff rushed to his side.

 _I will run- they'll hunt me in vain_

 _I will head - they'll be searching_

 _I'll regroup- feign retreat they'll pursue_

 _Coup de grace_

"Fuck me" Hiccup muttered.

"I did almost two months ago" Astrid responded.

"See my humor is rubbing off on you."

Just then another bullet entered Hiccup's body, this time in his chest. The force of the strike caused him to fall to the ground.

"Hiccup!"

 _I'll win but never fight_

Astrid immediately put her hand over his chest, doing her best to stop the bleeding. Rommel and Rehnskiold could help but watched as their king bled on the ground.

"We need to get out of here. We are a massive target."

"Rommel's right my lady. Get him on your horse."

Astrid nodded and picked Hiccup off the ground. She placed him on her shoulder and walked over to her horse. Hiccup was placed on top of Traveler and Astrid quickly mounted. The three of them rode back to camp hoping the medics could help him. Once they made it back to friendly lines it was clear they had seen what happened. An officer walked up to them with a man in handcuffs being held by three men.

"Sir we captured the assassin. He tried to make an escape, stabbed a couple of men."

Rommel immediately dismounted his horse and punched the man in the head. Soldiers had to pull Rommel away from the man, tensions clearly high.

"You bastard, I'm gonna kill you for what you've done."

Medics quickly rushed towards Astrid who had taken Hiccup off the back of her horse. She laid him on the ground gently as medics got to work. It was clear that he was still alive but was he gonna stay that way. His eyes were closed and his breathing was ragged.

"Is he going to be alright?"

The medics bowed their heads, a sign Astrid didn't want t see.

"He's dying."

Astrid covered her mouth and quickly rushed to his side. Hiccup weakly opened his eyes to look at Astrid.

"'Strid."

"Shh, it's okay I'm right here."

"Sorry for this."

"It's not your fault, you're going to be okay I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

Astrid bowed her head and buried it into his shoulder. Soldiers surrounded the two and bowed their heads.

"Please Hiccup don't go I need you."

"Astrid, take care of our child, for me please."

"Hiccup…"

Hiccup silenced her by cupping her cheek in his hand.

"I love you, never forget that."

Tears were flowing freely down Astrid's face, the soldiers around them also crying. On top of that as if God knew, it began to rain.

"Death had to catch him off guard, else there would have been a fight" Rehnskiold muttered to Rommel.

Hiccup looked at Astrid one last time before taking one last breath and he closed his eyes. Astrid's sobs were audible now as the young king lay dead in her arms. Thunder rolled as Carolus Rex truly rose to the skies.

 _That's the art of war!_


	35. The Terror of the Seas

**For people wondering why I haven't updated When riders become wrestlers, I have a good reason. I can't spoil it though, just trust me I am still working on it. Don't forget we have a discord: StX9S9q**

 **Silvolde: Yeah he is actually dead. It was the plan from the start whether you like or not. As I said when I started the story, Hiccup is based on a king of Sweden known as Charles XII. As for what happens next read and find out.**

 **Guest: I just dared, fight me.**

 **Guest #2: Yeah he did kill Drago, and yeah I'm sorry for Hiccup's death. As for Hiccup not recognizing Viggo, the two of them had not met face to face before. They only know each other by name.**

 **CommanderGreya: Oh you know she will**

 _40 miles off the coast of England…_

Night had fallen on the seas allowing the 16 ships to sail safely. They were en route to Russia, bearing gifts and a call to arms. Britain and Russia had close ties for quite some time, ever since the Kalmar Union rose to power the two countries have been kinda friends.

Britain was getting desperate to beat the Berkians, everyone could see that. Queen Anne had ordered these ships to sail as fast as they could and get to Russia. At the moment the flew the union jack but as soon as they got to the Baltic sea they would switch over to the Russia flag. The reason for this is Russia was allowed to use Berkian ports in the Baltic but had to pay to use them. In the call to arms in clearly stated if victory was achieved, Russia would get these ports.

It was with that knowledge of Berkian-Russian relations they could easily sneak the call to arms to Moscow. However, what they didn't know is that they were being stalked. It wasn't the Wolfpack as they were escorting their king home one final time. It was something else, something that no one knew was coming.

 _Berk 1 year earlier, a week after Poltava…_

Hiccup had Toothless landed in Berk after a long flight from France. The two of them were tired, not from the flight but of the war. Fishlegs quickly greeted the two once he saw them walking around.

"Hiccup, Toothless, what are you guys doing here?"

"I wanted to talk with you 'legs. Please join me for a walk."

The three of them walked up to one of the upper levels on Berk and over to a lookout that oversaw the port.

"I must say Fishlegs you did a great job of leading Berk while I've been gone."

"Thanks, Hiccup, I do quite like this job of watching over the navy."

Hiccup leaned against the granite railing as he looked at the busy port. He could see people moving about, selling their wares or building ships.

"Fishlegs, what is the size of the navy?"

"60 ships are seaworthy, 12 of which are part of the Wolfpack led by Dagur."

"Remind me again please, why did I give Dagur a position in the navy?"

"You said he would do good as he was a Berserker and the Berserkers are known for their sailing."

A few cannons went off, the troops doing a quick drill to make sure the weapons worked. Hiccup sighed and walked over to Toothless. He began to dig through the saddle bag to try and find went he wanted. Fishlegs watched as Hiccup searched for what he was looking for. After a couple of seconds, Hiccup stood up with a rolled up piece of paper in hand.

"Do you have room for another ship to be built?"

"No, but I could quickly make another drydock to build one. What type of ship are we looking at, Sloop, Brig, Frigate, Galleon-"

"None of those. I want something that is unsinkable, something that can take a beating but fast."

"Hiccup, I could try to make what you ask but what you are asking is impossible."

"Nothing is impossible Fishlegs. At one point ending the war with the Dragons seemed impossible and what did I do?"

"End the war."

"I ended the war. Just hear me out please."

"Fine but if this doesn't work don't blame me."

"I could never blame you, now let's talk about what I want."

Hiccup unfolded the paper revealing designs for a ship.

"This is the _KBS_ _(Kingdom of Berk Ship)_ _Gustav_ , he is a 124 gun Ironclad."

"What's an Ironclad?"

"A ship whose hull is made of iron. Now he-"

"Wait a minute he? Hiccup ships are a she."

"Your right ships are a she but _Gustav_ is a he. He will be the king of the seas once completed."

"Ok, just one last question and I will get to work. Why Gustav?"

"Gustav was one of my generals but he was killed at the last battle we fought in."

"Oh, alright I'll get to work."

Fishlegs got on Meatlug who had landed next to them while they were talking and took off leaving Hiccup to his thoughts.

 _Berk 10 months later…_

Hiccup and the army would be leaving for Scotland in less than an hour. Before he left he wanted to see his pride and joy set sail for the first time. For the past 10 months, men and women on Berk have been building the massive warship and now it was time for it to set sail. A bottle of champagne was broken on the side of the ship and it was put into the water. The crowd that had formed to watch the army take off cheered when the ship remained floating in the Berk harbor.

"Hiccup you are amazing."

"I know I am Astrid."

The two shared a quick kiss before turning back to see a small ship named King Carolus set sail for the first time.

 _Present Day…_

The 16 British ships were now 50 miles off the coast of England. A mist had now surrounded the ships as the continued their journey to Russia.

 _From the mist, a shape, a ship is taking form_

 _And the silence of the sea is about drift into a storm_

"Do you see anything captain?"

"No, the water is quiet. The Wolfpack must be elsewhere."

"Good, which means we have a better shot at getting to our destination."

The two men stopped talking when an unidentified ship came into their sight. The gulped knowing it wasn't one of theirs.

 _Sign of power_

 _Show of force_

 _Raise the anchor_

 _Battleship is plotting its course_

"Everyone to your battle stations, enemy ship ahead!"

The crew of the ship started running, getting all the cannons loaded for the upcoming fight. The flag of war was raised but the other ships in the navy couldn't see it.

 _Pride of the nation_

 _A beast made of steel_

 _Gustav in motion_

 _King of the ocean_

 _He was made to rule the waves across the seven seas_

Cannons rang out as _Gustav_ opened fire in the middle of the convoy. The iron shells ripped through the wooden ships as more cannons began to fire. Behind _Gustav, King Carolus_ fired at anything _Gustav_ missed. One of the British ships had taken too much damage and began to sink. The British guns fired back at the large ship but were surprised when the shells bounced off its hull.

"What? That's impossible cannonballs are made to go through the wood."

"Captain duck!"

It was too late as a cannonball went through the man's torso, separating the body into many pieces.

"Signal the _HMS Victory_. Tell them they need to get into attack position. She is the strongest ship in the navy and the pride of Britain."

"Yes, sir."

The soldier waved a lantern to signal to the large ship and was relieved when they responded. _Gustav_ fired at a trade ship next, ripping large holes in the hull of the boat.

 _To lead the war machine_

 _To rule the waves and lead the Berkian fleet_

 _The terror of the seas_

 _The Gustav and the Berkian fleet_

 _HMS Victory_ fired at the Berkian ship but everyone was surprised when none of the shells seemed to do any damage. Then _Gustav_ fired back and destroyed the hull of _Victory_ causing it to take on water. _Gustav_ wasn't done, it fired another 5 shots at _Victory_ before leaving it to die. _King Carolus_ caused another transport ship to sink leaving just 3 warships left. Then all of a sudden an explosion rocked the ocean. The powder magazine of _Victory_ had exploded, _Gustav_ had caused a fire to break out below deck and it had spread.

"No…" Admiral Lancaster barley managed to breathe out.

Every single British sailor, whether they were in the water or still on a boat, watched the mushroom cloud rise above the waves and the flames that had engulfed the wooden ship.

"Private!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Get us out of here, that beast is unstoppable."

"Understood."

The two remaining ships turned around and tried to get away from the Berkian warships. Behind them, 14 ships were sinking beneath the waves, one of which was on fire. The explosion on _Victory_ had ripped the ship in half and any crew that had survived were now struggling to get out of the burning wreckage.

Onboard _Gustav_ , the men were celebrating their victory as they watched British sailors swim towards the mighty vessel out of desperation. Men were pulled onboard and thrown into the brig while the men gathered what they could from the water.

"Pick up these last few men and set sail for the English channel. We will make their trade suffer."

"Sir, this man has information on why these ships were out here."

A sailor was shoved in front of the Captain and forced to his knees.

"Go on tell him."

"We were on our way to one of your ports. We were gonna use a Russian flag to get in. Gonna try and get Russia into the war."

"Then it's a good thing we stopped you. Take him away."

"Yes, sir!"

 _London 1 day later…_

Admiral Lancaster had gathered every available captain in the navy in his office in London. 56 men from across the kingdom were here to discuss the monster of a ship Lancaster had faced.

"The enemy has a technological advantage over us. We must gather every ship we can and sink it."

"Lancaster if 6 warships couldn't even put a dent in this thing, what can the entire royal navy do against it."

"We could sink it!"

"But at what cost!"

 _Two thousand men and fifty thousand tons of steel_

 _Set course for the Atlantic with the British on their heels_

"There is no way that thing can survive a pounding from 56 of her majesties best ships."

"Lancaster we will follow you but let it be known that the blood of my men will be on your hands."

"I understand, York."

 _English channel 4 days later…_

As predicted, _Gustav_ and _King Carolus_ were in the English channel and blocking their way was 56 ships. It was 2 against 56 but everyone knew many would die. The British ships moved into attack formation and got their cannons ready for a fight.

 _Firepower, Firefight_

 _Battle stations, keep the targets steady in sight_

 _Into formation, the hunt has begun_

 _Death and damnation, the fleet is coming_

 _He was made to rule the waves across the seven seas_

 _Gustav_ engaged the first few ships, both broadsides doing plenty of damage to the ships. The British ships fired back but once again the cannons did nothing against the steel armor of the Berkian ship. _Gustav_ fired back at the nearby ships and he met his mark, ripping massive holes in the sides of the wooden ships.

Onboard Admiral Lancaster's ship, Lancaster watched as more and more of his ships were destroyed. He sighed and looked around to see other ships get into attack position. They had to sink this ship or any hope for a victory in the war would be lost.

 _To lead the war machine_

 _To rule the waves and lead the Berkian fleet_

 _Gustav_ fired its guns once again causing another British ship to take on water. Captain York was able to maneuver his ship into a good spot on _Gustav's_ left broadside.

"Fire the guns! Do not let up!"

York's ship opened fire with everything they had. 36 cannonballs hit the side of _Gustav_ but every one of them bounced off except for one. One of the shots had struck a cannon and went through the lower deck. York saw this and knew he could use it to his advantage.

"Aim for their guns, the shots go right through!"

More of York's cannons fired this time the shots were doing damage. Below deck men were being killed as cannon balls hit the wooden decks. Then one lucky shot managed to hit a weak part of the armor that was below the water line. _Gustav_ began to take on water as he continued to fight on.

 _The terror of the seas_

 _Gustav and the Berkian fleet_

 _Gustav's_ crew fired back at York and his ship was immediately damaged beyond repair.

"Sir we are taking on water."

"I know but keep fighting, we must sink this beast."

York's guns fired one last time but due to the ship taking on water, the shots either missed or hit the armor of the ship. On the other side of _Gustav_ , another British ship was sent to a watery grave as _Gustav's_ cannons destroyed its broadside.

Onboard _Gustav_ , the men knew of the situation below deck. But if Berk was to win the war they had to destroy the British navy so that their smaller ships could dominate the waves. The captain of _Gustav_ quickly wrote a letter that would be sent via Terrible Terror to _King Carolus_. It was an order to retreat from the area as _King Carolus_ was a wooden ship, It couldn't take the beating _Gustav_ was taking.

"Take this to them, they must get out of here."

He placed the letter on the side of the dragon's leg and it flew away over to the nearby Berkain ship. _Gustav's_ guns continued to fire at every ship it could but the armor had gotten weaker as the battle wore on and now the British ships were able to penetrate the armor. The remaining 23 British ships descended on _Gustav's_ location as they saw the warship weaken with every volley. Lancaster smiled as holes were ripped into the Berkian ship.

"She is sinking, finish her off," Lancaster said to the nearby sailor.

"Yes, sir."

 _Gustav_ began to list a bit to the right but his guns continued to fire at the British ships. The British ships continued to fire at the Berkian ship and more holes were put into it. Berkian sailors began to abandon ship as the ship began to list even more.

 _At the bottom of the ocean, the depths of the abyss_

 _They are bound by iron and blood_

 _The flagship of the navy, the terror of the seas_

 _His guns have gone silent at last_

The crew of the sinking ship began to swim over to the British ships for safety. They were pulled aboard and quickly arrested.

 _Pride of a nation, a beast made of steel_

 _Gustav in motion, king of the ocean_

 _He was made to rule the waves across the seven seas_

 _To lead the war machine_

 _To rule the waves and lead the Berkian fleet_

 _The terror of the seas_

 _The Gustav and the Berkian fleet_

20 ships survived the ordeal and thousands lost their lives just to sink one ship. Over his lifetime, _Gustav_ had managed to sink almost 50 ships. _King Carolus_ sailed back north as orders came in back terror mail that the Wolfpack needed an escort. For what purpose they did not know, however, they would find out once they got to Scotland.


	36. Long Live the King

**This chapter wasn't as long as I would have liked it but it's still good enough. BTW WE HAVE A DISCORD IF YOU WANT TO JOIN IT AND TALK WITH ME DIRECTLY OR PLAY GAMES WITH ME: StX9S9q**

 **CommanderGreya: Thanks!**

 **Guest: Thanks, I take pride in my work.**

 **Silvolde: does this answer your question?**

 _Dunbar, two days later…_

The Wolfpack had been contacted via terror mail and ordered to return to Dunbar. Reports were also coming in that the pride of the navy, the flagship _KBS Gustav_ had been sunk. Astrid was not in the state of mind to deal with these reports so Rommel took care of sending back replies. Rehnskiold did his best to make sure Astrid had little to do at all as she mourned the loss of Hiccup. Astrid sat in the medical tent holding Hiccup's limp hand, her head buried into his chest. Tears flowed from her eyes and onto his body, silently recounting the fairytale of the girl who saved someone from death with her tears and wishing it was true.

"My lady."

Astrid lifted up her head to see Rommel standing over her, worry plastered all over his face.

"The British have regrouped and are launching a counter-attack. The Scottish are still miles away and the men, they don't want to fight. Not now at least, not in this state of mind."

"Where is Dagur?"

"The ships are visible if you look through a scope."

"Then we must hold."

"As you wish, my queen."

Rommel left the tent leaving Astrid alone. She grabbed her hat and kissed Hiccup's forehead.

"I promise I'll win for you."

Astrid left the tent and mounted her horse. She then rode over to her high command who were busy planning the fight.

"We must keep them away from Dunbar until Hiccup can be taken out of here," Astrid said interrupting their conversation.

"Agreed my lady, I recommend placing the guns on this hill over there and the infantry just below it" Rehnskiold replied, pointing to the hill in question.

Astrid nodded and began to ride over to the hill, Rehnskiold, Rommel, and Lewenhaupt quickly following.

 _Two hours later_

The troops were lined up in formation as they waited for the enemy to attack. The Wolfpack had arrived and picked Hiccup up, now all the army had to do was repel the enemy. Astrid stood in front of her men and watched as the army of redcoats began to deploy. She sighed and turned back to her men, many leaned on their guns, sorrow in their eyes. Astrid sighed once again before walking over to a small rock and climbed it. She faced her men and started to do the only thing she could do at this moment, give a speech.

"I know why you don't want fight this battle, trust me I do. He is safe now, he is off this godforsaken land and with the Wolfpack. Now we must hold the line, we can't lose our momentum."

Astrid was about to continue but she was interrupted by a random soldier.

"My lady what's the point of fighting, the king is dead."

"He would want you to fight on. Today he looks down on us and protects us as we fight. We must fight for the honor and glory of Carolus Rex. Today the blood of our king flows through you. Men and women of Berk, forward!"

"Orders!"

"March!"

The drums of war began to beat and 40,000 troops began to march down the hill to meet their foe.

 _At dawn, envoy arrives, morning of March 13th_

 _"No day" proven by dead_

 _Descendants of Berk, Sweden, and Norway_

 _Look south, ready to fight_

 _Enemies charge from the plain_

 _To arms, facing defeat_

 _There's no surrender, there's no retreat_

Berkian troops halted and aimed their guns at the British. Behind them, Berkian cannons opened fire unleashing their iron shells at the enemy. Berk's troops quickly followed up by firing a volley. Many British went down but they still continued to march forward.

 _Time after time, force their enemies back to their lines_

 _Coat of arms, banners fly in the wind_

 _For the glory of Berk_

 _Coat of arms reading freedom or death_

 _Blood of king Carolus_

 _Berk two weeks later…_

It was a very cloudy day, no rain, just cloudy. The busy streets of Berk were quiet now as sorrow took hold of the kingdom. Palace guards lined the dock as Night began to unload its precious cargo. A Toothless drawn carriage waited as soldiers began to board the ship.

 _Dreams are seldom shattered_

 _By a bullet in the dark_

 _Rulers come and rulers go_

 _Will the kingdom fall apart?_

The body of Hiccup Haddock the First was unloaded, flanked by soldiers and officers. His uniform had been repaired and cleaned, his hair and beard combed, and his wounds covered. Astrid, Rehsnkiold, and Rommel flanked the fallen king, all of them dressed in military uniform. No one knew who killed him, it was thought to be the man that they arrested but turned out he was innocent. The soldier had witnesses that proved he didn't shoot the king. Most of the army said that there was a murderer on the loose, however, some said it was a stray bullet that dealt the final blow.

Astrid helped the soldiers place the body on Hiccup's funeral wagon before boarding it herself. She grabbed Hiccup's hand and held it close as the wagon began to move.

 _Who shall we now turn to_

 _As our leaders lost their heart_

 _Lives were lost_

 _But at what cost_

 _Will the grand dream fall apart._

People lined the streets and threw flowers into the cart. Soldiers march along but not a word was spoken. Rommel led the funeral procession walking with the men on the paved roads. 'He was taken too young' he thought to himself. He could see women crying, men holding onto their wives or children. The second battle of Dubar didn't go too well for Berk. After hours of fighting Astrid was forced to retreat, her speech not doing anything to rally the men. 27,000 men were lost holding the line, their death in vain. As the army retreated, Astrid, Rehnskiold, and Rommel left for Berk while Lewenhaupt stayed with the army as they regrouped with the Scottish.

Rumors began to swirl around that there would be a pretender rebellion in Sweden but no one cared, they only cared about their fallen king. Eventually, the funeral procession made its way up the hill to the great hall. Astrid was helped out of the cart and palace guards lifted the casket on their shoulders to bring it up to the steps of the palace. Once on top of the stairs, the casket was placed in front of a priest and Gothi.

 _Killed by is own or by his foes_

 _Turn the tide_

 _300 years, still no one knows_

 _The secret remains_

 _Broken dreams so grand_

 _Sing of his final stand_

 _Long live Carolus_

 _Brought by soldier's hand_

 _Back to the fatherland_

 _Long live Carolus Rex_

Gothi and the priest stood over Hiccup, placing both Pagan and Christian holy relics in the casket.

"All mighty father, please open your arms and accept your fallen son into heaven. May you forgive his sins and his misdoings, his rights, and wrongs. May you look down upon us and give us comfort in this time of loss."

Gothi began to write in the dirt and Gobber began to translate.

"Odin above, please welcome into your kingdom a fallen hero. May you welcome a son, king, husband, and a friend. May he protect your halls in the afterlife as a soldier of Asgard. May his passage into Valhalla be safe and may Thor protect him."

Church bells rang out throughout the city as the funeral went on.

"On this very day, we must crown a leader, someone to fill his shoes. Astrid Haddock please step forward and bow before me."

Astrid nodded and she knelt in front of the priest. The crown that Hiccup wore into battle when the war started was removed from its spot on top of his head.

"Astrid Haddock, do you accept to uphold the duties of a Queen, to protect your people, to lead them into battle. To make deals with foreign powers and honor the legacy of Hiccup the first."

"I do," she said, bearly manage to keep a steady voice.

"Then may I and god pronounce you Astrid Haddock the First, Queen of Berk."

The people around her clapped but on the inside, they were crying. Astrid was visibly crying, the tears dropping at the feet of the priest. Rommel helped Astrid back to her feet and she buried her head into his shoulder.

"You need to give a speech my lady."

Astrid looked up at the German man and nodded before wiping her eyes free of tears. She stood before the people and soldiers who looked sorry for her.

"Men and Women of Berk. As a little girl, I always dreamed of becoming a queen. That's every little girl's dream. I didn't want to become a queen this way." Astrid stopped as she felt the tears returning but she had to continue. " I can not fill his shoes, no one can. Hiccup was one of a kind, the best friend any man, woman, or dragon could have. He was smart, brave, funny, the list goes on." Astrid fiddled with the ring on her finger as she marched on through the speech.

"I can't change the past, I wish I could but I can't. I don't want to be the queen that took over when the king died. I want to be the queen that can continue his legacy. My first act as queen is to remember this 27th of March 1692 the first annual Carolus Rex day. Today for as many years to come we will remember the life of our great king and remember his sacrifice. In the town square, we will build him a statue made from gronkle iron to commemorate him. Not only that I will end this war that took his life and make them pay for taking him away from us. We must continue the fight and we will march on York and we will march on London! For the honor and glory of Hiccup! Long live Carolus Rex!"

"Long live Carolus Rex!"

 _Carolus!_

 _Carolus!_

 _Carolus!_

 _Brought him back to Berk_

 _Where we put him in a chest_

 _Years of war and agony_

 _Now the king can finally rest_

 _What will be our cover_

 _Of that cold March night_

 _Dunbar, what happened there_

 _Will it ever come to light?_

 _Killed by his own or by his foes_

 _Turn the tide_

 _300 years still no one knows_

 _The secret remains_

The casket was placed back on the cart and the procession began to walk over to the newly erected Berkian Royal Cemetery.

 _Broken dreams so grand_

 _Sing of his final stand_

 _Long live Carolus_

 _Brought by soldier's hands_

 _Back to the fatherland_

 _Long live Carolus Rex_

Once at the cemetery, the soldiers unload the coffin once again and brought it towards the open hole. It was lowered into its grave and buried, the men weeping as they did. Once it was fully covered, Astrid placed flowers on it before falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around the tombstone. Toothless walked up to her and nudged her with his head to comfort her.

 _For their honor, for their glory_

 _For the men that fought and bled_

 _A soldier from Berk remembers the dead_

 _Broken dreams so grand_

 _Sing of his final stand_

 _Long live Carolus_

 _Brought by soldiers hand_

 _Back to the fatherland_

 _Long live Carolus Rex_

 _Broken dreams so grand_

 _Sing of his final stand_

 _Long live Carolus_

 _Brought by soldiers hand_

 _Back to the fatherland_

 _Long live Carolus Rex!_

Night fell on Berk but no one went to sleep. Everyone held their own private funerals for the fallen king. Astrid sat in the bedroom Hiccup and her shared just months ago. His clothes still hanging in the closet, his journal on his desk. Astrid wanted to scream, her pain too much to bear. The unborn baby did not help either but she pushed on. After working up enough courage she walked over to his journal and picked it up. She gulped and opened up to the first page.

 _Dear Astrid,_

 _I know it's you reading this, I left it here for you in the event of my death. Everything that I know, everything that I have drawn are in these books. It is your job that the knowledge in these books don't get taken as if they fell into the wrong hands, it could spell the end of the dragons. Ha-ha got you, I'm not that stupid. But seriously there is no knowledge of a dragon killing weapon here. Astrid, I want you to know that I love you with all my heart and even in death I am always with you. You know, cause I kinda got you pregnant._

"Hiccup if you weren't dead I would kill you myself."

 _Berk needs to move forward without me. With this book, there are details on the strategies of Britain that you can use to your advantage. This comes from weeks of studying them in battle. Though our time runs short just remember that I love you, always have, always will. You are one of the best things that ever happen to me and I thank you for that. Enjoy this book and the others that I have hidden away._

 _Love, Hiccup Haddock_

Astrid smiled and flipped the page. On the next page, there was a picture of her and Hiccup together with their dragons. It was Hiccup's artwork, of course, it always amazed her at how well he could draw. In it she was smiling, her arm over his shoulder. Hiccup was also smiling but looking towards the viewer of the art. It was like the art knew she was the one viewing it. Astrid pressed her lips to the page and kissed him, before holding the book close to her chest.

' _Berk needs to move forward without me'_ kept replaying in her mind. It was like he knew that he would die early. She moved one of her hands over the bump in her stomach.

"I promise little one that you will know what your father was like."

With that Astrid closed the book and went to sleep.

 **I know a small chapter, kinda my fault but not really. So this last little bit is a teaser for Roak 2 so enjoy and for the love of god join the discord.**

 _He watched as the bombs exploded all over Berk, the troops taking cover as much as they could. The dive bombers wailed as they dived to drop their payload. The statue of Carolus Rex still stood tall overlooking the city, the cemetery in which he was buried remained untouched. It was like they didn't want to attack those locations. His father wasn't with him, he just sat in the palace and let the kingdom fall apart around him. The king's guard and palace guard holding in the palace not helping the soldiers fight their enemy off._

 _Astrid and her battalion of troops held the line. Her third armor division fought back the incoming German troops as Stukas continued bombing her men. She looked back towards the palace hoping troops were coming to aid them. Her eyes met green and prince Hiccup the 8th shook his head in response. Over 200 years of the Berkian kingdom being around and the greatest war machine ever to fight a war was brought to its knees. All because of a stubborn king who didn't even bother to fight._


	37. A Final Stand

**So I'm doing my best to wrap this story up before I have to take a quick three-month vacation from this site. It's not just here, I have to stop doing the whole youtube thing cause I will be gone. I will still try and upload but I can only do so much. Don't forget we have a Discord, please join if you want to talk or play games with me: StX9S9q**

 **Silvolde: Thank you and yes it is set during WW2**

 **Guest: Thanks and yeah it's long, longest chapter I've ever written.**

 **CommanderGreya: Indeed, Long live Carolus Rex!**

 _Somewhere in Scotland 2 weeks later…_

March had turned to April and with that came England's depressing weather. The snow had begun to melt, creating wetlands and marshes that had mud as deep as a fully grown man. Traveling on the roads wasn't much different, roads were muddy making it difficult to move wagons and cannons.

The wounded Berkian army was forced to travel in these conditions. The British had been chasing the army for the past month, trying to deal a decisive blow to the Berkian army. Viggo was determined to end the fighting but every time he got close to the enemy they would escape his grasp. Though they did escape the Berkians had to abandon equipment the was stuck in the mud. Viggo had captured at least 40 cannons in the past 2 weeks.

Lewenhaupt kneeled in his tent praying towards the small golden cross on his desk. As he prayed he could hear the rain hitting the tent and men moving around.

"Fader vår som som är i himmelen helgat varde ditt namn, Tillkomme ditt rike ske din vilja, Såsom i himmelen så ock uppå jorden ge oss bröd ock idag, Och förlåt oss våran skuld -"

"Sir?"

Lewenhaupt opened his eyes and looked towards the man.

"What is it colonel?"

"British troops have been sighted couple miles south of here."

"We can't run any further. We must push them back."

"Sir they outnumber us 3 to 1"

"I damn well know that." Lewenhaupt stood up and blew out the candles before putting on his uniform.

The two men exited the tent and looked around the camp. Morale was low, very low. The death of Hiccup had struck men down, some had given up fighting. Berk had arrived in Scotland with 100,000 men, Lewenhaupt only had 40,000 men fit for battle. In total, they still had 66,000 troops but the men not fit where either in the medical ward or sick.

"Any word from the Scottish?"

"They are still 10 miles from us, got slowed down by a British army."

"What about the Queen, any word from her?"

"Not from her no, Rehnskiold I did. It's not good news. KBS Gustav had been sunk in the channel. There is an uprising in Sweden going on some guy by the name of Charles claiming he is the rightful king, Britain is trying to get Russia into this war, and Rehnskiold said that he is not doing too well."

"He's not?"

"No, the old man is sick again. He is dying, I know he is. Carl Gustav Rehnskiold doesn't get sick out of the blue. Said that he is gonna try and hold out when he returns but he doesn't think he'll make it to the end of the war. The queen is about 4 months pregnant now, Rehnskiold and Rommel are trying to keep her off the field but she as stubborn as the king."

"When will they be back?"

"I don't know my friend, hopefully soon."

A courier rode up to them but what his message was, they did not know.

"Sir, a letter from her majesties honorable general, Viggo Grimborn."

"What does it say?"

"Dear King Hiccup Haddock the First, your army has been on the run for the past month. We have you cornered, surrender now and I can assure that this can come to end. Sincerely, Viggo Grimborn."

Lewenhaupt stoked his beard before he looked at the colonel next to him.

"Bastard still thinks the king is alive. Let him think that, right now we must plan for our final stand. What divisions are fit for battle colonel?"

"The king's first division, queen Astrid's second division, two-thirds of Rommel's men, one-third of Rehnskiold's men, and your battery sir."

Lewenhaupt nodded before he got on his horse and slowly rode through the camp.

"Sir, 40,000 poorly equipped men can't stand up against 120,000 of the best-equipped and best-trained men the entire world has ever seen."

"We have trained better, we have fought harder, this army can fight I know it can. This is the same army that carried the king of Berlin to Prague and from Prague to Paris."

"Sir all of those men are either back at home or dead."

"No, 12 of the 1st Divison's regiments and 6 of the 2nd's are those men. They will hold until the end."

Lewenhaupt rode off leaving the colonel behind.

 _British camp…_

"Sir we have the Berkians cornered. I suggest we strike now while the iron is hot."

"General Gimborn, I agree with Hampton."

Viggo turned around and faced those two, the morning light casting a shadow over his face.

"The Berkians are cornered, yes, but they will try to break out. We must be on the defensive for this one."

"Sir?"

"We block off their route to escape and they will have to attack. That is when we truly end the Berkian army. Do not defy my orders, unless you want to end up like General Montgomery."

The two generals gulped recounting how Montgomery met an untimely death a few days after Dunbar at the hands of Grimborn.

 _4 hours later…_

British troops lined up in formation standing across the wet field from the Berkians. The morning rain had stopped giving way to some sunlight. The Berkian army looked disheveled, many dirty and had missing pieces of their uniform, others had no shoes or hardly any ammo. Lewenhaupt looked down at the ground knowing that this would most likely be his final battle.

"Men and women of Berk. Today is your final stand, do not let them take you easily. Today you join your king his final resting place. Today he looks down upon you and gives you the strength to fight. In the heavens he asks of you to not grieve him, to not mourn him, but cherish in the memories that you have of him. The blood of Carolus Rex flows through you, today you are all sons and daughters of Carolus Rex!"

Lewenhaupt stopped and let his words sink into the soldiers. He took off his hat and placed it over his heart before giving a payer.

"All mighty father, protect these men and women in this day. Open up your arms and forgive them for their wrongdoings. I place the fate of them and myself into your hands."

Lewenhaupt placed his hat back on his head before looking at his men one last time.

"Soldiers of Berk, forward!"

Lewenhaupt stopped, hoping his men would respond.

"Mar-"

"Orders!" one man responded.

"Orders!" one of the Valkyries yelled.

One by one, soldiers began to respond to Lewenhaupt until it was one cohesive shout.

"Orders!"

Lewenhaupt smiled one more time before shouting.

"Long live Carolus!"

 _Long live Carolus!_

 _Long live Carolus!_

 _Long live Carolus!_

"March!"

The Berkian drums of war began to beat and the soldiers began to march. Lewenhaupt's guns opened fire, the shells tearing holes in the British army. The British guns fired back but the shells either missed or hit very little. The armies got closer and closer until they were able to shoot at each other.

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

The two sides fired a brutal volley at each other, killing or wounding many.

 _Madness, cure your feeble horde_

 _Fear me, or die by my sword_

 _Poltava_

 _Rode to certain death and pain_

 _Poltava_

 _Swedish soldiers met their bane_

 _Poltava_

 _Sacrificed their lives in vain_

 _Poltava_

The Berkian troops smashed into the British troops and a brutal melee broke out. The desperate Berkians using everything they could to kill their opponents. Some men used their hunting knives to their advantage, if their bayonet was logged in a British soldier's chest they would use their knife to stab any incoming soldiers. The female soldiers of the Berkian army matched their counterpart's brutality by throwing themselves at anything that moved. Some threw their guns like spears at the troops, others smashing the butt of their weapons over the skulls of some pour soul. Above them, dragons swooped down with their riders doing their best to aid the ground troops.

Lewenhaupt slashed a man that tried to stab his horse before firing his pistol into the mass of soldiers.

"You aren't the man I'm looking for."

Lewenhaupt looked to his left and saw Viggo on his horse.

"The man you're looking for is in Berk."

"Shame, I would have loved to battle him. Oh well, you'll do."

Viggo took out his pistol and shot the horse out from underneath Lewenhaupt. The much older man fell to the ground with a thud. Lewenhaupt had to get up quickly if he was able to fight off Grimborn. The Swedish man drew his sword and swung at Viggo but Viggo blocked him.

"You know for a man known for being skilled in swordplay you do move quite slow."

Lewenhaupt swung again but Viggo side stepped he then went to go strike the man in his back but Lewenhaupt countered. Lewenhaupt kicked Viggo's legs out from underneath him, causing him to fall to the ground. Viggo quickly grabbed his sword and blocked the incoming strike. Lewenhaupt got kicked in the gut which caused him to stumble back a couple of steps. Viggo got back on his feet and swung at Lewenhaupt but he blocked him. Sighing, Viggo kicked the man in the gut before slicing the back of Lewehaupt's left leg with his sword.

"Ahhhh!"

Lewenhaupt clutched the back of his leg as he fell to the ground. Viggo stood tall over the man before kicked his sword away from him.

"All of this could have been avoided if your king surrendered."

"He's dead you bastard. One of your assassins killed him."

"Oh, how unfortunate. I was looking forward to facing Hiccup on the field. I guess you'll do, but your death will do for now."

Lewenhaupt closed his eyes and waited for death's cold embrace to surround him. Viggo lifted up the sword and brought it down on Lewenhaupt but before the blade could connect with flesh a sword blocked him. Viggo looked to see where the blade had come from and his eyes met blue fire.

"You are going to pay for every bit of pain you have caused me" Astrid growled.

"Ahh Queen Astrid, I am so sorry for your loss but don't fear you'll join him soon."

Viggo smiled before lifting the sword and pointing it at Astrid. Astrid charged at Viggo who blocked every strike she threw at him. The two of them fought over the piles of dead soldiers as the battle around them carried on. Things were looking bad for the Berkians but then on top of a small hill stood Rehnskiold and Rommel, behind them reinforcements.

"Men of the Ghost Division, children of Carolus, today you will save your brothers and sisters in arms. Charge!"

 _See the whites in their eyes_

 _Caroleans are marching on_

 _Put their lives in god's hand_

 _For the kingdom and fatherland_

 _See the whites in their eyes_

 _Caroleans are marching on_

The men behind the two of them charged down the hill as British troops began to form lines in an attempt to stop them from clanking around. The two sides clashed and the battle was quickly turned from a final Berkian defeat to hopeful victory. Astrid and Viggo clashed swords once again as a cannonball struck near them. The shockwave it caused made Astrid unbalanced so Viggo took advantage. He tried to stab her but Astrid sidestepped and stabbed him in the gut. Viggo was shocked and dropped his sword before Astrid removed her own sword from his body. The older man fell to the ground, bleeding profusely as his men began to retreat. Rommel and Rehnskiold rode up behind her and helped Lewenhaupt back on his feet. Astrid just stood over Viggo, watching as he clutched his stomach.

"You're a Viking, why fight for the British?"

"Wrong, I am a businessman. I make money not fight for it. I was promised land if I helped the British."

Viggo stood back up and grabbed his sword from off the ground. He pointed the weapon at Astrid while he clutched his gut.

"I refuse to go down easily."

The weapons clashed once again but Viggo was being more defensive than before. As Astrid kicked Viggo in the gut, British soldiers were coming behind her. Rommel ran towards her as he drew his sword. He blocked one bayonet and shot another man charging him. Astrid blocked Viggo's overhead strike but didn't see the soldier coming from behind her. The soldier went to go stab her but was stopped when a bullet entered his side. Viggo tried to kick Astrid but she caught his leg and cut it with her sword. Viggo fell back to the ground this time for good.

"You're high in British high command. Why did they kill our people when weren't fighting?"

"Ah young Astrid, you're nieve, too young. You see when nations are at war they can't always make their own weapons so they rely on private contractors. If I wanted to make money I had to start a war."

The three men made it over to where Astrid was standing and listened in on what the man was saying.

"I had my men dress up as Vikings and attack a British ship, then I did the same thing to a Viking ship but with the roles reversed."

 _Has man gone insane_

 _A few will remain_

 _Who'll find a way_

 _To live one more day_

 _Through decades at war_

 _It spreads like disease_

 _There is no sign of peace_

"And Sweden getting involved, was that just pure luck?"

"Oh no I counted on it. The more nations involved the more money I make. The king should have really paid attention to what he was drinking."

Religion and greed cause millions to bleed

Rehnskiold and Lewenhaupt's eyes went wide with that statement before Rehnskiold spoke up.

"You bastard."

The Swedish general ran up to them and kicked him the side before bringing down his forearm repeatedly on his head. Rommel had to pull Rehnskiold off of Viggo to get him to stop.

"You bastard, you've killed my kings, you've killed my soldiers, you've killed my friends! You have taken everything from me!"

"Carl, calm down we are all on edge. Please for your own good."

Rehnskiold took heavy breaths before nodding at Rommel. He looked towards Astrid and nodded she nodded back and stuck her sword in Viggo's chest. He lifted his arm into before blood began to pour out of his mouth. Viggo took his last breath and his limp arm fell to the ground.

"He killed Gustav, I know he did. That sword was his."

Astrid walked over to the weapon in question and picked it up off the ground.

"Look on the hilt, there are pagan runes the spell out lion from the north. That sword used to belong to Gustavus Adolphus before the king gave the weapon to a young Gustav."

Astrid looked on the hilt and there it was, clear as day Lion of the North. She sighed and placed the weapon in her scabbard. She left her sword stuck in Viggos chest, he deserved it. Astrid walked over to the Swedish general and watched as the battlefield turned into a killing ground.

 _Killing ground_

 _Even though you surrender_

 _Turn around_

 _You will never survive_

 _Killing ground_

 _As the battle of Britain turns_

 _Berkian camp later that night…_

The battle was over and 40,000 troops had surrendered. Berk had lost 34,000 thousand in the process but the army now numbered 123,000 men. Astrid sat at the campfire with her generals, admiring the sword that Gustav once carried into battle.

"That sword my lady is a sword of kings. The sword was made in the year 900 and has been passed down generation after generation" Rehnskiold said.

Rommel looked up from his book and took the pipe from out of his mouth so he could speak more clearly.

"Ah yes I have read about it, the sword was used by Norwegian Kings until 1066 when Harold Harada was killed in battle. The sword remained in the Engish hands for a couple of years before William the Conqueror gave to Denmark as a peace offering. Then when Sweden got its independence, the sword was taken from Copenhagen and used by Swedish kings until-"

"Until it was given to Gustav" Lewenhaupt finished.

"It is a nice sword, perhaps it shall be used by Berkian kings and queens."

"The weapon appears to have a weak blade, I would suggest to take it to Berk to get it sharpened."

"Yeah, I should do that."

Astrid placed the sword in her scabbard before taking a bowl of the stew that had been cooked. She watched has Rommel went back to his book and Lewenhaupt checked his bandages. Then she turned her head towards Rehnskiold who was looking into the fire. The silence between them was cut short by the sound of his coughing.

"My lady my time on this earth is running short."

"Then I will make sure we end this war before that happens."

The man smiled before returning his eyes to the campfire. Astrid looked back at the fire before getting up and walking away from the three men. Astrid soon found herself overlooking the valley below the army's camp. Off in the distance, she could see York, the city's lights illuminating the sky.

"Quite a sight isn't it."

Rommel walked beside Astrid, watching as she took in the sight in front of her.

"York will fall, my lady, we will avenge him, we will avenge the fallen."

"Yeah."

"Now we begin the endgame. First York then London, both will fall under our might."

Astrid nodded but the silence didn't last too long.

"What will you do after the war Rommel."

"I don't know my lady. I wish to continue to serve in the army but I don't have a home. I'll be branded as a traitor if I return to Berlin."

"I want you to live in Berk and be my second in command."

"I will do as you wish my lady."

Rommel saluted and began to walk away but Astrid stopped him.

"Rommel… thank you for everything."

"It is my pleasure, my lady."

With that, he kissed her hand before walking away leaving Astrid on the hill. Astrid turned around and looked at York before quietly murmuring to herself.

"I promise Hiccup, I will end this once and for all."

 **I feel good about this chapter as we begin our final act of RoaK.**


	38. War for the Colonies Begins

**Hey guys sorry, it took so long to get this chapter out. I've been busy and/or sick this past week and I've been having issues with my internet, sorry. Now that I'm reading the rough drafts of all the chapters I have yet to write, I won't be able to get them all out before my deadline. So I will do my best to update the story while I'm away for the summer.**

 **Guest: yes he did**

 **Now before we get started I wanted to explore fighting in the colonies so the next few chapters are set in the colonies. This is also going to be a brief break from the main story as I continue to struggle with how exactly this story will end.**

 **Also current stories/ chapters I'm working on as of 5/30/19:**

 **Gustav: Chapter 2**

 **WRBW: Chapter insert number here (forgot what chapter it is and was too lazy to look)**

 **Roak: Chapters 39, 40, and 41**

 **A Star Wars/ Httyd crossover: I'm redoing my first story as it is absolute shit. It's going to have a different setting as well as more characters. Set during the clone wars, Obi-Wan and his team are sent to earth to find to children gifted with the force. However, the Jedi aren't the only ones aware of Hiccup and Astrid's ability.**

 **That's all and enjoy the chapter, don't forget to join the discord! The code is on the previous chapter's A/N.**

 _Quebec, January 1692_

When Berk took those overseas colonies, they were going to use them to their full extent. Hiccup had told Ruffnut and Snotlout to head over here and see what damage they could do in the New World. The two of them arrived in Quebec and to their surprise, the people were pretty friendly. Well, most people were friendly, a bunch of the hardcore french speakers were pretty hostile towards their new home country. Snotlout walked over to the town hall where the people were gathering as planned.

"Uh… Bonjour Madams, um, et Messieurs. Um…" Snotlout started

"We can speak your language you know" someone yelled from inside the crowd.

"Oh good, I am Snotlout Jorgenson, this is my partner Ruffnut Thorston. We represent his majesty Hiccup Haddock the First, first king of Berk. We are not here to fight you, no, we are here to help you and protect you from our enemies in the south."

There were a few murmurs from the crowd but let Snotlout continue.

"The Ohio River Valley is a land that we all want and now you have the opportunity to take the riches that can be found there. I know there are not a lot of able body men to fight a war, which is why for the men that can fight, we will train them with the same training regiment that the Berkian Caroleans get. Those who wish to fight, sign up here in the town hall, please don't make us force you to fight."

 _Albany, New York, April 1st_

They weren't ready, mostly cause the news of France falling came not too long ago, not to mention the peace deal that came with it. Then it came, pouring from Northern New York and Vermont came a Berkian army. 40,000 men swept across the mountains and now pressured New England. The colonial government quickly gathered an army, a total of 60,000 men. Most of these men were from the New England colonies but there were some from New York and New Jersey. The army had rallied in Albany to discuss a course of action against their attackers.

"General Gates, for all we know they could be militia."

"Or they could be some of the best troops in the world."

The two men stood in silence before a soldier entered the house.

"Good afternoon General Gates and Colonel Smith."

"Afternoon private, what news do you have on the enemy army."

"They are just north of us, out of the mountains now."

"What type of army is it, they militia or they the best Berk has to offer?"

"From what I could see before I got shot at, General Snotlout Jorgenson, the cousin of king Hiccup is in command of the army."

"This does not bode well for us Colonel Smith. Where are they headed?"

"Albany from what I can understand. They know we are here."

Smith sighed before rolling out a piece of paper on the nearby table. On it was a map of Albany and the surrounding area. The town was small, no more then a couple of hundred people living there. There were some farms but the area was dominated by the sprawling forests. Smith pointed to a farm just north of the town.

"Verdun's fields, that's where we make our stand," he said.

"Are you sure, sir?"

"General, do you concur?"

"I agree we must hold in the city at all cost. We outnumber them so leave about 5,000 guarding the town. Private, tell the officers about the plan. Hurry!"

"Got it."

The young soldier ran out of the house and over to the camps that dotted the town. The two men grabbed their swords before walking outside to their horses.

 _A couple of hours later…_

Colonial soldiers lined up information, the wheat that surrounded them was about waist high. They held on to their muskets tightly as they waited for the enemy to arrive. Many were silently saying prayers for God to watch over them in their hour of need. After what felt like an eternity, the drums of war could be heard.

"Steady men, don't let them scare you."

Emerging from the trees came the Berkian troops, waving a mix between the Quebec and Berkian flag. The white cross was replaced by a yellow cross and the top left fleur-de-lis was replaced by a nightfury. They quickly formed a line formation on the edge of the tree line and let the cannons form up in front of them. The cannons unlimbered and loaded their shots but didn't fire, waiting for the enemy to make the first move.

"Give me a white flag" Smith whispered to the officer next to him.

"Yes, sir."

General Gates watched as Smith rode forward with a white flag. 'What is that man doing' he pondered.

Smith rode up to the Berkian lines with the white flag and began to shout "Let me speak to your leader!"

At that request, Snotlot emerged from behind the troops on Hookfang.

"Have you come to surrender?" Snotlout asked.

"No, I am asking you to leave now before your army is destroyed."

Snotlout laughed and looked down to the ground before starting Smith right in his eyes.

"I like you, you are a funny one. However, I promised my king to bring peace to this land and that I will."

"Oh I don't think so" Smith replied.

"My friend your army is nothing compared to mine. These men are some of the best-trained soldiers in the entire world. Let us pass through and I promise you your men will be left alone."

"You shall not pass."

"Very well then, I will allow you to return to your lines."

Smith nodded and rode away, once he returned to Gates the man only shook his head in response to the question Gates was going to ask. The thunderous roar of Berkian cannons filled the air and the shells hit the lines of men standing in the field. Men, weapons, and dirt flew everywhere as the bombardment unleashed hell on the colonists.

"Take cover!" Gates yelled.

 _As the drum rolled started on that day_

 _Heard a 100 miles away_

 _A million shells were fired_

 _And the green grass turned to gray_

 _The bombardment lasted all day long_

 _Yet the lines were standing strong_

 _Heavily defended_

 _Now the trap's been sprung and the battle has begun_

Berkian troops started to march forward and the colonial soldiers did the same. The distance between the two armies shortened and the Berkians fired the first volley. Hundreds of soldiers went down but enough were still standing to fire back. Not as many Berkians fell but still a good amount of troops did.

 _Descend into Darkness_

 _303 minutes below the sun_

Snotlout watched as the two armies clashed in the fields in front of them. He smiled as more and more enemy soldiers fell to the might of his troops. As he watched on a rider rode up to him with a message.

"Sir, General Thorston is in position."

"Tell her to launch her attack."

"Yes, sir."

The rider rode off leaving Snotlout and his staff alone. In the fields in front of him, the soldiers fired another volley at each other.

 _Fields of Verdun and the battle has begun_

 _Nowhere to run, father and son_

 _Fall one by one under the gun_

 _Thy will be done and the judgment has begun_

 _Nowhere to run, father and son_

 _Fall one by one, Fields of Verdun_

Smith and Gates watched on as the combat between the two sides intensified as the Berkians began to charge.

"Sir, they have reinforcement, we are surrounded."

Gates looked shocked and immediately got on his horse to ride over to the town hall. Once he got there, Gates climbed to the top and began to survey the battlefield. The private was right, they were surrounded. Gates slammed his fist on the railing before looking towards the battlefield. The wheat had nearly been destroyed by all the cannon shells that had hit it. Smith walked up behind him and looked out onto the field.

"Sir, we fight any longer we will put the civilians in danger."

"I know Smith, I know." Gates sighed and looked down before speaking up again. "Slip past their lines, warn New York of the army, no doubt in my mind that'll be their target."

"And what will you do?"

'I'll hold them off."

Smith nodded and began to make his way down the stairs but before he could leave Gates called after him.

"Smith, Godspeed my friend."

"You as well."

Smith left leaving Gates to pondering on how to buy Smith some time. His thoughts were interrupted by a nearby gunshot. Gates looked down to the street to see Smith lying on the ground. Behind him, the stairs could be heard moaning as someone climbed the steps. Gates turned around and looked at Ruffnut right in her eyes.

"General Gates, you are surrounded, surrender now or we destroy everything."

"Never, I won't-"

Ruffnut put down her pistol once the bullet entered his shoulder. He placed his right hand over his shoulder as he stumbled back towards the railing. Gates leaned against the railing as Ruffnut walked towards him and leaned on the same railing.

"General Gates, the savior of Pennsylvania. Held off 3,000 natives with only 600 soldiers. I'll make sure they will remember you."

"You won't win… this war… my queen will beat your king."

"You mean the same queen that allowed Scotland to declare its independence, allow its navy to be destroyed, and allow for the city of York to be under threat by my king's army."

Gates couldn't believe what she was saying, it had to be a lie.

"You lie to yourself, my queen… would never allow that."

"And I will allow you to believe that in your final moments."

With that being said, Ruffnut pushed Gates over the railing and watched him fall to his death.

"Its a shame, he was hot."

Gates hit the ground with a thud, landing next to the fallen body of Smith. Over in the fields, the battle quickly turned in the Berkians favor.

 _Fields of execution_

 _Turned to wasteland from the grass_

 _Thou shall go no further, it was said they shall not pass_

 _The spirit of resistance and the madness of the war_

 _So go ahead, face the lead, join the dead_

 _Though you die, where you lie, never asking why?_

Another cannonball opened a massive hole in the lines of the colonists. The Berkians saw this and began to charge.

 _Descend into darkness_

 _303 minutes below the sun_

The Berkians and colonists engaged in brutal melee but the Berkian training decided the fight. Quickly the soldiers began to break as more and more Berkian troops poured into the combat. On the east and west side of Albany, Berkian troops captured anything that moved and quickly descended on the town. Berk finished the battle by capturing 24,000 troops as well as the city and per Snotlout's orders, the city was looted. Snotlout didn't watch as his men looted, no he was looking south towards the city that bore this colony's name.

 _New York City, April 12th, 1692…_

The Berkians thought to be beaten at the battle of Albany currently paraded through the streets of one of the largest cities in the new world. Berk had split the Thirteen Colonies in two, but their next target was to their east. The port city of Boston, the colony where the largest port was located. The Berkians knew that if the city was captured, the economy of the colonies would be crippled. Though the capture of New York was good news, the news of the tragic death of Hiccup reached them.

Snotlout didn't leave his tent unless he needed to. Ruffnut did her best to remain happy but the thousands of Virgil's being held in the army brought her spirit down. Plans to march on Boston were put on hold and the Berkian army held their position in New York.

 _Boston..._

Delegates from across the colonies had arrived in the city to discuss a plan of action against the Berkian troops. The loss at Albany had shocked them, proving not to underestimate the power behind the Berkian army.

"Mr. Grover, you have been silent this entire meeting, do you sympathize with the enemy? Are you a spy?"

"How dare you accuse me of such thing Mr. Hill. I have been calling for action against the lands to our north ever since they were handed over to the Berkians."

"Bullshit!"

"Gentlemen calm down."

"Mr. Penn, stay out of this."

As the 40 men continued to argue a man stepped through the door. When he knocked on wood and everyone looked at him, he greeted them.

"Gentlemen, I am your aid in this time of need. My brother sent me over here to deal with your Viking problem."

"Ah, Mr. Grimborn welcome. I can assure you that we do have an army at the ready."

"Good, but if its anything like the army you sent to fight them in Albany." Ryker drew his sword and aimed it at Penn's neck. "I will have your head."

Penn laughed nervously as he looked around at the other men. Ryker smiled and placed sword back in his scabbard.

"I like you Mr. Grimborn. I trust that you will put an end to this Berkian menace."


	39. The Battle of York

**This chapter is going to be a bit more graphic, might move the rating up. Also, remember how I said we are gonna be in the new world for a bit, yeah kinda lied and rewrote the entire chapter. It's not a total lie, I just wanted to jump the gun and do the battle of York. We have a discord, so join it if you want to talk to me directly or play games, StX9S9q**

* * *

Snotlout stood in a field, filled with bodies. Among them was the Berkian high command, Rehnskiold, Rommel, and Lewenhaupt. They were dead, they weren't moving, they were butchered. As Snotlout walked around he could only see more suffering as soldiers desperately cried out to him.

"Snotlout."

The man in question turned around to see Astrid on the ground, laying in the arms of Hiccup.

"How? You are dead, she told me."

Hiccup looked at him with soulless eyes, the forest green replaced by red and dark scratches across his face.

"You failed me!"

"No, I didn't, I tried to save her."

"I wanted you to protect her, not let her die while she was pregnant with my son."

Snotlout fell to his knees and desperately crawled towards Hiccup.

"I'm sorry Hiccup I tried."

"Trying wasn't good enough, you let my kingdom die, you killed thousands. Now I must kill you."

Hiccup drew his sword and walked towards Snotlout. He tried to block his strike but Hiccup was a better duelist then he was. Snotlout fell to the ground, back first and looked into the sky. Hiccup said nothing and raised his sword above his head. Thunder rolled as Hiccup stabbed his sword into the chest of his cousin.

* * *

Snotlout woke up, drenched in sweat. He checked his chest for a stab wound and was relieved when he didn't find one. Snotlout got out of bed and put a robe on before heading out to the terrace of the building. He leaned on the railings and looked around the city watched as people continued to move about and such late an hour.

"What's a matter sweety?" said the Woman that walked up behind him.

"A nightmare, I'm guessing. It's fine."

"Alright, if you want to get your mind off it you know where I am." He felt her bare chest rub against his back before she walked away and presumably got back in bed. Snotlout grabbed a shirt and left the house he was staying in.

Once he reached the tavern, he saw Ruffnut who was barely clothed, drinking with some men.

"Ruffnut!"

The girl turned to face him and drunkenly stumbled over to him.

"Hey there baby, I cost if you want me in bed."

"Jesus, get a hold of yourself, Ruff," he said as he aggressively shook her.

"Back off bub" she replied as Ruffnut pushed him away.

"Is this man bothering you?" said one of the guys she was drinking with.

"Look, buddy, I'm trying to talk with my second in command. Now if you have a problem with me, I have no problem getting my troops to shoot you."

The man growled audibly before turning around to go back to his drink. Snotlout grabbed Ruffnut's hand and dragged her out of the tavern. He brought her back to his living quarters and sat her down in a chair.

"What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing, what has gotten into you!"

Snotlout sighed and looked at her with pain in his eyes. Her being drunk wasn't helping the whole situation either.

"Just listen to me please."

"Fine, what do you want."

"I have been having a nightmare for the past few days. It has been the same dream every day. Me in a field with soldiers of Berkian army dead or dying all around me. Then I see Hiccup and he blames me for Astrid's death. Then he kills me for letting her die."

"Sounds like a nightmare," she said as she took her breast bindings off and began to walk towards him.

Snotlout immediately looked away and said, "Please don't, why did you remove your bindings?"

"From what it sounded like you needed a distraction," she said as Ruffut began to grope at his pants.

"No, I don't need a sexual distraction. What I need is a friend. Don't you dare move your hands by your waist!"

Ruffnut stopped moving her one hand towards her waist but kept her other hand on Snotlout's groin.

"I feel guilty" he admitted.

"Why?"

"I should have been there. Hiccup could still be alive if I was there to protect him. I bullied him for nearly his entire life and I didn't tell him that I was sorry. I didn't tell him that I was the idiot, not him."

He closed his eyes and let his tears fall freely down his face. Ruffnut began to wipe them away as he continued to talk.

"I could have saved him, be the cousin he should have had. My own blood, my own cousin is gone now."

"I'm sure he forgives you. Hiccup knows you are guilty trust me. What you need to do is fight in his honor and remember that you are he here because he trusted you to lead the troops in the new world."

Snotlout nodded and the two stood there in silence for a bit until SNotlout spoke up again.

"You still offering that pity sex?"

Ruff smiled and led him into the bedroom.

"You sure your wench won't mind."

"She'll probably want to get involved."

 _The next morning…_

Snotlout, Ruffnut, officers, and soldiers gathered around a priest who stood next to a vigil. Paintings of Hiccup were placed next to candles as they paid their respects to the fallen king.

"All mighty father that is in heaven, may you welcome your fallen son into your kingdom. Hiccup Haddock, the first was a kind, gentle man who only wanted what was best for his people and friends."

As the priest continued, Ruff placed an arm around Snotlout's shoulder as he looked on with pain.

"He was a warrior, though it did not look like it and for that, we thank you for gracing us with a man like him. Now we must send him off in our own way."

The priest turned to a wooden casket filled with a wooden replica of the king. A soldier with a torch walked up to it and dropped it in. It caught fire immediately as soldiers bowed their heads, sobs could be heard from their commanding officer.

* * *

England, 15 miles east of York…

The day had started like any other day. Rommel and Astrid drafted up plans to take the old Viking city of York, Lewenhaupt doing his morning artillery drills, and Rehnskiold doing infantry drills. After a while, Astrid and Rommel joined the Swedish general in watching the troops train. The Scottish had joined the army so Rosie was with them as well as she watched the Scottish troops march around. Then things went downhill quickly.

As Rehnskiold was instructing one of the regiments how to better transition from marching to shooting, he broke into a coughing fit. Astrid thought nothing of it as he had been coughing for the past few weeks. Rehnskiold cleared his throat before continuing.

"As I was saying, when you are marching into the battle and want to get into formation faster, wheel to your officer's right or left. So please practice."

"Yes, sir!"

The Swedish man nodded and walked over to Astrid and Rommel.

"You alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine, just a little cold is all."

Astrid nodded and watched him turn around to get on his horse.

"My queen, we will end this war. I will make sure of it, even if I die in the process."

Before Rehnskiold could ride away, he broke into another coughing fit. His coughing showed no sign of stopping and then it happened, Rehnskiold fell off his horse and hit the ground hard.

"Carl!"

Astrid, Rommel, and a few soldiers rushed to side. Lewenhaupt watched from where is tent sat and bowed his head knowing the true extent of his friend's sickness.

Rommel, Astrid, and Lewenhaupt sat around the small tent that housed Rehnskiold, his coughs audible throughout the entire camp. The medics said that there was nothing they could do, as the Swedish general worsened. Astrid held the man's hand as his pained breathing hurt them all.

"My lady…"

"Shh, don't speak, just rest."

"I'm sorry, for everything."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

Everyone there knew the time was coming soon. He looked pale and he was coughing up blood. Astrid brushed away the gray hairs that covered the man's forehead as he looked around the tent.

"I guess I won't see the end of the fight."

"You will, I promise you will."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, your highness."

Rehskiold took one more look at Rommel and said: "You better take care of her boy."

"I will Carl, I will."

He smiled and let a tear fall from his eyes as he took his final breath. Astrid sighed sadly and bowed her head in respect. Rommel turned to Lewenhaupt who had tears running down his cheeks.

"How bad was he? How long has he been sick?"

"Before the king died, he caught a nasty sickness. He never recovered before he went back out onto the field of battle. It got worse when he went to Berk for the funeral in a letter he wrote to me. Nothing the doctors could have done to save him. I pray to god that medicine will become more advanced in the future."

"No doubt it will."

Rommel turned his head and watched Astrid place blankets over the fallen man's head. The Prussian general sighed and walked out of the tent to get some fresh air. He looked around the army and wondered what would become of Rehnskiold's men. Rommel wasn't paying attention to where he was going a bumped into someone. He immediately turned his head to apologize to the person he ran into.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's fin-"

Rommel and Rosie looked at each other and any knowledge of their shared Germanic language disappeared.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"I don't believe we met, I'm Rosie."

"Aaron Rommel."

"You're general Rommel, Astrid has told me a lot about you."

"She has?" he asked, heat rising to his cheeks.

"Yeah, I would like to stay and chat but I have some stuff to do."

"I appreciate you bumping into me," she said as Rosie walked away.

"Me too," Rommel said silently to himself.

Rosie found her sister in her tent and entered blushing.

"Jeez, you look like Fishlegs when he walked in on me and Hiccup. What happened?"

"Rommel and I bumped into each other."

"Oh good, you two finally met."

"Yeah" replied Rosie.

Astrid quickly realized why Rosie was blushing and started laughing like a child.

"Oh my god, you have a crush on Rommel."

"What, no I don't."

"Yes you do, you're blushing."

"You didn't tell me was tall, blond, and handsome."

"So you admit that you like him."

"Maybe."

Astrid smiled and sat Rosie down on her bed.

"Rommel is a really nice guy and I bet you if you sat down and talked with him, you two would get along really well."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Rosie smiled and looked at Astrid. Her belly had grown since the last time she saw her.

"How are you doing?"

"Fine, but exhausted. I don't know how Hiccup did it."

"Don't forget, he wasn't carrying a baby with him onto the battlefield."

Astrid got up and looked at the painting of Hiccup and her in the Great Hall. She sighed and looked down to the ground.

"I miss him. I don't go a day without thinking about him. I want him here so he can see the birth of his child. I want to hold him again and feel like I'm 15."

"We are only 18 years and we've been to hell and back."

Astrid smirked and Rosie's comment, remembering the song Hiccup had written about Paris. Astrid faced her sister and pulled her back up to her feet.

"I just want a sign that he is watching over us. A sign that tells me he is still here."

 _Fire!_

Cannons went off in the distance, Lewenhaupt making sure the guns were ready for the upcoming fight.

"Not the sign I wanted but a sign nonetheless."

Rosie hugged Astrid who returned the favor.

"You need to be careful Astrid. You don't want to lose the baby as well."

"I know, but I can't leave the army to themselves."

"Just lead from afar, we can't risk losing you or your child."

Astrid nodded before looking outside her tent and towards Rommel's tent.

"The army isn't going to move out today," Astrid said.

"Yeah so?"

"Go talk to him."

"What no I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Cause."

"Cause…"

"I don't know what to say."

"Just be yourself, now go."

Rosie sighed defeatedly and walked out of her sister's tent. She made her way over to Rommel's tent and stopped once she reached it. She took a few deep breaths before speaking.

"Aaron, are you in there?"

Rosie could hear some shuffling from inside the tent before the man in question replied.

"Yes, I am here please come in."

Rosie pushed aside the white tent flap and entered. Rommel was in his chair reading a book he wasn't wearing his uniform, rather he was wearing a simple pair of trousers and a tunic.

"Ho-how are you doing," he said.

"Good, um I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat."

Rommel put down his book and got up from his chair.

"Sure that would be lovely."

Rosie smiled and grabbed Rommel's hand before leading him over towards one of the camp's cooks. Astrid saw the two walk together and she smiled.

"I did Hiccup, I found my sister someone."

A small gust of wind flipped the pages of her book. When she looked back at the book, Hiccup's handwriting read _'I am proud of you Astrid.'_

 _York…_

British sappers were hard at work, doing their best to set up defenses. Slaves had also been brought in as they were desperate to protect the city at all costs.

"Work harder darkie, else we'll put you on the frontline."

The sound of a whip striking flesh could be heard throughout the city. 45,000 British soldiers held the gateway to the south if the city were to fall, disaster would soon follow. General Howe watched as his troops marched around the city. A rider rode up to him bearing news.

"Sir, the queen has responded to your request."

"And…"

"She said that supplies are stretched. She can only send 35,000 troops."

"We'll have to put the darkies on the front lines then. We have no choice, give them the poorer weapons though."

"Yes, sir."

The messenger walked off leaving Howe to his thoughts.

"Do you think we will win sir?" asked the officer next to him.

"No, not at all. Until the death of their king, that Berkian army was undefeated. We must thank god if they spare us."

"The Berkians are honorable people. I'm sure they will let us live."

"That they are. I might just surrender to them, at least they will let me live."

Howe sighed and walked over to one the union jacks and held the cloth in his hand.

"I have given my life to this country, I swore an oath to protect her borders. Now, we can only hope our cities aren't plundered."

The sun began to set on York, casting the surrounding area in a dark shadow. The lanterns of the sappers illuminated the city as they continued to work.

 _York three days later…_

The Berkian army, aided by the Scottish, were outside the gates of York. 1 mile of open fields lay between them and the city. Astrid, Rommel, and Rosie sat on top of their horses looking out at the city.

"There are walls, of course, there are walls, why wouldn't there be walls" Astrid muttered.

Rommel lowered his binoculars and looked at Astrid. He was about to say something but stopped when Rosie spoke.

"So, we can blast them open with our cannons."

"I agree, my lady, one good old artillery bombardment should do the trick."

Astrid turned to face them and replied. "Hiccup wrote about York's walls in one of his journals. Johan had told him that when the Vikings constructed this city, the walls were made extremely thick. Even a trebuchet couldn't break those walls."

"Then I guess we have to take the city the good old fashion way," Rommel said.

"The men are going to need ropes."

"I'm on it," Rosie replied.

Rommel watched as she left before speaking up.

"Your sister is something else."

"Yeah. Treat her good, else I'll have your head."

"Noted."

Astrid smiled and turned back to the task at hand. The two armies combined, numbered around 190,000 troops. 1,000 cannons, 60,000 horses, 4,000 dragons, and 2 high commands ready to end the war.

"Many will die today."

"I know my queen."

Rommel walked away leaving Astrid to look at the city.

Lewenhaupt knew that his guns could soften the city up but he wasn't so confident about breaking the walls. 240 Berkian cannon was aimed at the city, they would be providing covering fire for the infantry. Lewenhaupt didn't want to commit all his guns to the attack out of fear of losing more guns then necessary.

"General Lewenhaupt."

Lewenhaupt turned around and faced Astrid.

"You may fire when ready."

He nodded and looked back towards the city. He raised his hand in the air and the guns got ready to fire. Lewenhaupt brought down his hand and the guns began to fire. The shells sored through the air and hit the target.

"Take cover!"

One shell hit a church steeple causing it to fall onto the soldiers below. More shells hit buildings in front of the walls or the ground. Through his binoculars, Lewenhaupt watched as the shells hit their targets. He lowered them from his face and sighed as the guns continued to fire. Lewenhaupt sighed and looked at Astrid who also was not happy that the first volley failed to do much damage.

"Continue to fire, we must break those walls."

Three hours passed and only dents were made in the stone fortifications. Portions of the wall did come crashing down but it wasn't enough to allow troops to march through. Gatehouses were also damaged but the shells and either missed the gate itself or struck the stone structure. The British had begun to fire back and did considerable damage to the Berkian artillery. Now the British guns had fallen silent while Berkian guns continued to fire.

"My lady, they have done more damage to us then we have done to them! If I continue to fire at this rate, I will not have a lot of ammo to cover the infantry!" Lewenhaupt yelled over the firing of the guns

"How long will it take you to resupply the men!?"

"Too long!"

Astrid sighed as another cannon fired. She looked towards the city, then to the infantry.

"Hold your fire, general."

"Hold your fire!"

The cannons fell silent and an eerie calm set upon the battlefield. The only sound to fill the explosions of iron on stone and wood were the sounds of troops coughing and dragons growling.

"I can't send in the dragons alone, they'll be shot down."

"Then send in the men and I will support them with what little ammo I have."

Astrid nodded and looked at Rosie and Rommel. They nodded back at her, knowing the words she didn't want to say. Rommel knew the situation all too well with his failure to save Berlin when the war had just started.

"Battalions, form up!"

Every Berkian regiment that was under the command of Rommel and Rosie got in formation. Rommel looked around as tears started to form in his eyes. He looked towards Astrid and saw her shed a tear herself. Rommel took his hat off his head and held it over his chest.

"All mighty father, I place my fate in your hands. Look over these men and protect them in their hour of need."

Rommel placed his hat back on his head and looked around at the troops.

"Men and Women of Berk. Today we are on the verge of victory. Today we march on the city your ancestors built hundreds of years ago. Today we march on York and if the Brits still want to fight, we will march on London. Do not fail Carolus as he is watching over you today. Today you become children of Carolus!"

 _Carolus!_

 _Carolus!_

 _Carolus!_

"Berkians, forward!"

"Orders?"

"March!"

The drums of war began to beat and the soldiers marched forward. Lewenhaupt's guns fired one more volley, giving the troops a smokescreen. The crews of the guns started waving their hats in the air as the infantry walked by.

 **(If you want some epic music to go along with this scene, listen to Gettysburg Soundtrack- Battle of Little Round Top or over the fence, take your pick.)**

The soldiers emerged from the gun smoke and continued to march forward. Bayonets glistened in the sun and flags waved in the wind. Across the field, British troops could only watch as their opponents marched forward.

Rommel looked around nervously, the events of 2 years ago replaying in his mind. Berkian cannons used the time to replenish their supplies and let the guns cool down. Berkian soldiers kept formation even as they approached the rubble-filled streets.

"Fire!"

British cannons fired at the marching Berkian troops, the cannons tore holes in the lines but that did not deter the spirit of the soldiers.

Astrid looked on in fear as the enemy cannons started firing at her troops. Just then General Stuart, the Berkian cavalry commander, rode up to her.

"Sir, I've got reports of enemy troops just to our south. Shall I send my men to go intercept?"

"Are they infantry?"

"Yes they are, came out of nowhere."

"Then have your men dismount, I'll send reserves over there. Lewenhaupt!"

As Stuart left, Lewenhaupt ran over to Astrid with concern on his face.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Enemy reinforcements are arriving from the south. Set up your reserves behind the dismounting cav."

"Understood."

Lewenhaupt ran to mount his horse and get moving. Astrid rode her horse over to one of the hills that looked over the battlefield. She felt helpless not being able to fight alongside her troops. Once she arrived on the hill, she didn't like the sight.

* * *

The slow marching of the Berkian troops turned into a sprint as they rushed to get out of the enemy's cannon fire. The field behind them had become littered with the bodies of fallen comrades but they couldn't think about them now, they needed to take the city. Rosie and her troops had made it to the wall but took the brunt of the first volley of British small arms fire.

"Get the ropes out."

Rommel and some of his troops ran up next to them and leaned against the wall.

"Hey there."

"Hey."

The two shared an awkward silence but it was cut short by a cannon shell striking a few men that were trying to get to the wall. The soldiers next to them took out their ropes and began to swing it around. They threw it, hoping the grappling hook on the end could hold onto the wall. Once the rope made it to the top of the wall, the soldiers gave it a tug to make sure it would stay put. Then they took out stakes and drove the rope into the ground with them.

"Alright, let's climb."

Rosie got on one of the ropes first quickly followed by her men. As they scaled the top, Rosie called out to Rommel.

"Whoever gets the most kills, wounds, or captures, gets a free meal paid by the loser."

"This isn't- for the love of god," Rommel muttered as she disappeared over the top.

Rosie stood on the wall and the British troops didn't know what to do when the saw her.

"Hello there." She said before taking out her pistol and shooting the man in front of her. The men around her quickly reacted by quickly going after her but was stopped when Rosie's troops started making it to the top. The melee that followed quickly became brutal as Rosie's troops struggled for dominance.

Rosie blocked a bayonet stab and kicked the man in the gut. She then brought her sword down on him. Behind her, a British soldier was about to stab her but Rommel shot him the head before he could do anything. When Rosie turned around to see what happened, she smiled at Rommel.

"Thanks, also me and my men are at 12."

"My men will beat your men, right boys?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Oh, I don't think so."

Rosie and Rommel ended up fighting back to back as more and more British soldiers entered the fray. Gunshots were at random, men desperate to get a kill before they too went down. Rommel quickly shot at a man coming at him while Rosie stabbed a British officer.

* * *

"Dismount and get on the fence!"

Berkian soldiers got off their horses and grabbed their muskets. The cavalry was given a smaller musket as it was easier to carry on horseback, the only problem was it didn't have the range as the infantry muskets did. The men quickly lined up on the fence and started firing at the nearby British soldiers. More cav began to arrive and dismount as more and more British soldiers entered the fight.

Stuart watched as a volley from the enemy tore a massive gap in his troop's defenses. He looked to his right and saw Berkian cannons being set up as well as some of the reserve infantry marching into battle.

Up on the hill, Astrid watched the fighting quickly escalate through her binoculars. Lewenhaupt rode up beside her, concern laced on his face.

"My guns are setting up still but they are under heavy fire, they need assistance."

"You know I've set everything I could. I am still waiting for a reply from Bruce."

Lewenhaupt nodded and rode off, Astrid was doing her best to keep her composure as more of Stuart's men rode past her.

"Pour into them, boys!" Stuart yelled as more of his men dismounted and took up a position on a fence.

Lewenhaupt's guns had begun firing but their accuracy was diminished because of all the smoke. Stuart watched as one of their shells completely missed their target. Lewenhaupt rode up from behind him and started telling him what Astrid said.

"She said she is still waiting on a response from the Scottish king."

"Let's hope he responds soon, we can't hold for long."

"Agreed."

As Lewenhaupt turned his head to face the battle in front of him, a stray bullet entered his gut.

"Fuck."

"Lewen-"

A bullet entered Stuart's leg, causing him to gasp in pain. Lewenhaupt was helped off his horse by some nearby troops while Stuart continued to ride.

"General Lewenhaupt are you alright?"

"I'll be fine, just get me some bandages and a tourniquet before I bleed to death."

"We need to get you off the field sir."

"No, I refuse to be removed from this field of battle until it is over."

"Yes, sir!"

General Stuart's vision got blurred as more blood poured from the wound in his leg. He still needed to lead his men and didn't want them to meet the same fate he had.

"Continue to fire, hold the line. For the honor and glory of Caro-"

A bullet entered his right shoulder causing him to fall off his horse and onto the ground. Several soldiers rushed to his aid even though they were under heavy fire.

"Pour into them, boys."

A regiment of Caroleans formed up on the fence and fired a brutal volley at the British, tearing a massive hole in their lines. Astrid's Valkyries also arrived and formed on the fence. Astrid watched as more and more of her troops reinforced the position. Taking out her binoculars, she watched as more British soldiers arrived on the battlefield. She thought nothing of it until she saw one regiment she remembered from Hiccup's journals. Astrid quickly took out said and turned to the page in question.

 _The Coldstream Guards, an elite regiment led by the King or Queen themselves. They are known for their undying loyalty and brutal tactics. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight._

"Shit."

* * *

Rommel and Rosie continued their charge through the city as more and more enemy soldiers fell to their might. They had opened one of the gates which allowed for more of their troops to pour the city. Many of the British troops had begun to surrender as more Berkian soldiers entered the walls.

Eventually, they made it to the town hall which was lightly guarded. Rosie and Rommel's troops waited outside the door, watching their leaders.

"Door is locked."

"Yeah, the high command must be inside."

"How do you know that Rosie?"

"Just a hunch."

As soon as she said that, Rosie kicked down the door allowing for the troops to enter. Once they were inside gunshots went off as British troops desperately tried to hold them back. Two soldiers tried to charge Rosie and Rommel who drew their swords. The bayonets were blocked and the soldiers quickly stabbed. The Berkians continued fighting through the hallways of the town hall until they reached a barricaded door.

"Great, allow me," Rommel said.

"Wait, they have men waiting for us. You'll be shot if you kick it down."

Rommel nodded and allowed their troops through. The soldiers aimed their guns at the door and fired. Loud thumps could be heard from inside the room, meaning they hit their target.

"I heard five go down."

Rommel nodded and kicked the door down allowing the troops to storm in. The 20 Berkians entered the room and saw 5 slaves laying the floor and officers that had drawn their swords and pistols.

"So that's how you barricade yourselves, by putting people in front of you?" Rosie asked.

"They aren't people, they are nothing but servants," said one of the officers.

"Just because they have a different skin tone than you and I, doesn't make them property. They are still human, whether you like it or not."

The Berkian soldiers aimed their weapons at the British officers. After a tense standoff, the enemy lowered their weapons allowing the Berkians soldiers to capture them. Across the city, British troops surrendered, leaving York in the hands of the Berkians. Even though the fighting was over, Rosie and Rommel could still hear gunshots and cannon fire.

"Your main army is under heavy attack," said one of the officers.

"What do you mean?" asked Rommel.

"My queen personally led an army to best yours. I suggest you leave now and go save them."

Rommel and Rosie rushed out of the building and got on a pair of horses. The two of them called for troops to follow them and some of their caroleans did. With 3,000 men behind them, the two of them rushed to where the gunsmoke was coming from.

* * *

"Fire!"

The Coldstream Guards fired a brutal volley into the troops on the fence. Large holes were opened up briefly before more dismounted cavalry filled the gaps.

 **(Music selection for this part, look up 13. Hancock and Kemper are shot or 14. Armistead is hit, again take your pick.)**

"Fix those gaps men, hold the-"

The cavalry officer was shot off his horse. Men rushed to his side but he was dead on impact. Then the Kings' guard joined the fight alongside the Valkyries and the two regiments fired a volley at the Coldstream Guards. Some went down but not enough to prevent them from firing another volley.

"Finally a challenge, let's show the Berkian royal guards how it's done."

The British began to charge and so did the Berkians. The two sides clashed at the halfway point in between them and a melee followed. Shots went off as some soldiers tried to kill others at point blank. Dragons swooped down from above but some were taken out by British reinforcements.

Rommel and Rosie arrived and their men fired a volley into the British before charging into the fray themselves. Berkian cavalry charged in as well trying to force the British to retreat. Eventually, the British broke into a retreat and Berkians chased after them. They ended up making it to the British cannons which tried to fire cannister but did very little damage as Berkian cavalry and dragons started attacking them. Then the Infantry arrived and Rommel dismounted his horse and stood on the small stone wall that was in front of the enemy guns. Rommel took off his hat and placed it on his sword, revenge for his failure in Berlin.

"The day is ours men, turn the cannons on them, turn their cannons around!"

Astrid smiled when she saw Rommel's hat in the air.

"That's the style Rommel, that's the style!"

The Berkian troops managed to turn the guns around and started firing them at the retreating British. Rosie and her troops stopped just beyond the cannons to take a break. They were exhausted from running all the way from York to this field.

"We did it, they are on the run," she said, out of breath.

Any British troops that hadn't been able to retreat were captured and brought back to Berkian lines. With the British on the retreat, the army marched into York, tired from the day's fight. Scottish and Berkian troops that remained in the city cheered the exhausted troops as they marched through the streets. The wounded were brought into the city via carts, some crying in pain, others unconscious. Astrid, Rommel, and Rosie stood around a small campfire watching as more and more carts of the wounded came and went.

"We got lucky," Astrid said.

"Indeed, but the day was won in the end."

"But at what cost?" asked Rosie.

"Stuart is wounded, Lewenhaupt as well," Rommel replied.

"Lewenhaupt is wounded?" asked Astrid.

"Yeah, got struck by a stray bullet. Medics said he was fine, the bullet went through his side."

"And how is Stuart?"

"Pretty bad, suffered a lot of blood loss. Got hit twice, once in the shoulder and once in his leg."

Astrid sighed and looked over towards the field in which she fought the battle. The cries of the wounded filled her ears and all she could was feel sorry for them.

"The British won't give up, we will have to march on London," Rommel said breaking the silence.

"I know, we need to rest up first before we can march again, not to mention bury the dead."

Rommel and Rosie nodded, once again leaving that bit of the camp in total silence. Berk suffered a total of 34,465 casualties, 20,839 wounded, 736 missing, and 12,890 dead. Scotland suffered a smaller amount of loss with only 15,894 wounded and 6,904 wounded. The British lost the most with a total of 57,576 casualties. Of that 25,980 were wounded, 17,094 were captured, and 14,502 were wounded.

 **One of my favorite chapter I have written so far. I decided to write a long one because I don't know if I will be able to write as often when I am away. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to join the discord, the code is in the A/N at the start of the story.**


	40. The Final Battle

**This chapter will be centered around the final battle, the end of the war as they know it. Astrid is determined to end this war and get revenge for Hiccup but you know she wants to be careful about how she attacks. I just want to give a quick shoutout to CommanderGreya, Silvolde, a Guest user that has been reading my stories a lot, and Dancing Madman for giving me ideas and helping me improve my storytelling abilities. This is gonna be the first story I would have completed on this site and I am very grateful to have you guys leaving reviews and following to give me the motivation to continue writing. I have no reviews to respond to, not that people didn't leave reviews I am too lazy to look on the website as when I'm writing this section of the A/N I am on 5 hours of sleep.**

 **I think when I am done with this story I'm gonna give you the tracklist in the final chapter that way if you want to listen to the songs that I've used for the story. Speaking of songs I want to thank Sabaton for making these songs that I enjoy so much, this story would not have been possible if I didn't listen to my first sabaton song so many years ago. Another shoutout is to the countries of Sweden, France, Germany, Poland, Britain, Austria, and Denmark for having such amazing stories from their history. As I mentioned this story was based on the story of King Charles XII of Sweden. I love learning about history and I've glad to have been able to use some of these historical figures and put my own twist of the History of Europe.**

 **One final shoutout is to Credessa Cowel and Dreamworks for creating such amazing characters and an amazing story. How To Train Your Dragons is one of my favorite movie series if not my favorite, kinda a three-way tie between the MCU, Star Wars, and HTTYD. Again thank you all for reading, only 1 or 2 chapters to go. -Dilloncoll**

 _York 4 days later…_

The sun rose over York once again, a sign to the soldiers to continue their daily tasks. Astrid, Rommel, and Rosie were hard at work coming up with plans for the upcoming march on London. Lewenhaupt was back on his feet with a nice bullet hole in his gut and side. Stuart didn't meet the same fate, dying from his wounds two days after the battle.

"London doesn't have walls like York does, they have castles instead," Rommel said.

"We would be attacking from the north, we won't have to worry about taking bridges and the castles that guard them," Rosie replied.

Astrid and Lewenhaupt remained silent, both studying the map that was laid out in front of them. Astrid took the pencil that was on the desk and drew three lines around North London.

"Scouts report that the British have built 3 layers of earthworks north of the city."

"Not to mention a new army being mustered there. They know we are coming, we should wait until we are reinforced," Lewenhaupt said to no one in particular.

"Berk has nothing left to send us, we've sent so many young men and women to their deaths. If we prolong this war more lives will be lost."

Astrid sighed and sat down on a nearby chair. Rosie walked over to her and placed a hand on her arm to comfort her.

"Perhaps the Wolfpack could be of use?" Rommel asked.

"They would have to sail up the Thames and fight the Tower of London. No, I can't do that to Dagur," Astrid responded.

"The only thing we can do is siege them out," Lewenhaupt said.

"That'll take too much time and resources."

"Then what can we do Astrid? They won't fight us on an open field, they won't surrender, they will fight to the last. Give me the orders and I will charge those fortifications," Rosie vigorously asked.

"I will follow into battle my dear," Rommel told Rosie.

Astrid nodded, allowing these two to attack London. Rosie and Rommel began to rally their troops, telling them of the plan to end the war. Bruce quickly joined them with his army with one goal in mind, ending the war.

Rosie watched as her troops began to march, they knew their task, they would lay down their lives if they must.

 _A vacation in a foreign land_

 _Carolus Rex did the best he could_

 _You're in the army now_

 _Oh, oh, you're in the army now_

 _Now you remember what the officer said_

 _Nothing to do all day but stay in bed_

 _You're in the army now_

 _Oh, oh, you're in the army now_

 _London, one week later…_

Rosie, Rommel, Bruce, and Lewenhaupt looked out at London. Astrid was right, they did build earthworks. Berkian troops had made camp not too far from where the three of them stood. The British troops could be seen clearly walking around in the fortifications.

 _You'll be the hero of the kingdom_

 _Nobody knows that you've left for good_

 _You're in the army now_

 _Oh, oh, you're in the army now_

"We can soften up the first two lines of defenses but I don't know about the third line," Lewenhaupt said while looking through his binoculars.

"Thousands will die in this battle but this will be the last. We are in the endgame now" Rosie replied.

"I can do a lot of damage with the dragons but we risk them getting shot down," Rommel said.

"A risk we will not take," Astrid said, getting off her horse.

"My lady" Rommel and Lewenhaupt said, bowing their heads.

"We will have a good time getting into London. Our goal is clear, take every single government building as well as every bridge, castle, and house. Britain will surrender if we capture their queen."

Rosie looked at Astrid who was still looking out at the field."

"Astrid," Rosie continued, "There are rumors going around that a man from the Netherlands is looking to become king of England. George his name is. Rumor has it that his army has landed in Sussex and is now marching north towards London."

"Good, if what you say is true, we have another ally. Rommel send one of your men to find this man and see if is actually trying to become king."

Rommel nodded and walked away leaving Astrid, Rosie, and Lewenhaupt looking out at London.

 _20 miles south of London…_

Though the Netherlands wasn't officially part of the empire, it didn't stop the Von Habsburgs from sending Imperial troops to aid George in his conquest. 30,000 Germanic troops and 35,000 Dutch soldiers marched towards the British capital in an attempt to usurp the throne from Queen Anne. The queen had grown very unpopular with her people and not only that, the people of Britain were tired of war.

George, though Dutch and didn't speak a word of English, was technically the heir of England. Through the ways of royal marriages, George was in the line succession and he was determined to press his claim to the throne while the armies of Britain were distracted. Landing in England was easy with the majority of the British navy beneath the waves. With George's personal colors flying the wind, the pretender army made it's way North.

As they continued to march north, a dragon rider circled the army.

"My lord, a dragon rider," said an officer to George.

"A dragon rider? They are a man of Berk, signal them down."

"Yes, sir."

The officer nodded at a signal flag bearer who waved the flag around to let the dragon rider know he was allowed to land. The rider landed and George greeted him.

"Welcome my friend, what brings you here to my army?"

"Arch Duke George of Holland, I represent my Queen, Queen Astrid the First and the Kingdom of Berk. Your army had been spotted a few hours ago and my Queen was insistent on establishing contact with you. The Austrians, they sponsoring this army?"

"Indeed, they thought if they couldn't send support directly, they would send aid in other ways."

"It's said that your related to the current Queen of England, this true."

"Yes, I am here to force my claim to the throne, I will take what's rightfully mine."

"That's good, The Berkian and Scottish armies wait outside London, raining hell upon the defenders. We could use you to help us take the city."

"My men will do their best in taking the city."

"I am glad to hear that, Queen Astrid will be in contact with you. Farewell George, we shall meet again."

"I am looking forward to meeting your queen."

The dragon rider took off leaving George to watch him fly away. George smiled, soon he will be King of England.

The next day…

Berkian and Scottish cannons fired on the city of London, the makeshift earthworks crumbling as iron shells hitting the dirt. Astrid watched as the Britsh tried desperately to hold the lines they had formed. She looked to her right and saw Lewenhaupt stroking his chin as his guns continued to fire. To her left was Rosie and Rommel who were talking to their respective officers.

"My lady."

"Yes, Lewenhaupt?"

"I asked if you are willing to send troops in."

"No… no… we can't, not yet at least. Continue to hit them."

"My lady we have been firing since the sun rose. My ammunition stores are getting low, we need to hold our fire and replenish. Perhaps we should have Rommel's riders bomb from above."

"No, they would be prepared for that, a sharpshooter on every tall building, I can't send men and dragons in knowing they would all be shot down."

"My guns can't do anything if they have no ammo!" Lewenhaupt yelled, frustrated with Astrid's cautiousness.

"General Lewenhaupt, these men will be slaughtered if we can't break through all these defenses. You must reload while firing!" Astrid responded, shouting at the Swedish general.

The two never argued but Rosie and Rommel could see the tension between the two. Astrid and Lewenhaupt had a staring contest before Lewenhaupt bowed his head and sighed.

"I'm sorry my lady, I will reload while the guns fire."

"That's what I thought."

Astrid turned to Rommel and Rosie who looked shocked at the confrontation they had just seen. A rider landed behind Astrid bearing news.

"My lady, George's army is readying an assault on the south side of the city and the Wolfpack has also been sighted sailing up the Thames. However, Grand Admiral Dagur is concerned with enemy fortifications and ships within the city, he requests we do anything to destroy them."

Astrid looked at Rommel who looked concerned. He sighed knowing what Astrid was about to ask.

"I'll have the Ghost Division ready themselves, I shall lead them personally."

"Rommel you can't you'll be killed," Astrid pleaded.

"They are my men, I must do this."

"Then take Toothless, he'll keep you safe."

Toothless warbled from behind Rommel and nudged his leg. Rommel nodded and walked away, Toothless trailing behind him.

"I don't like him riding out like this," Astrid nervously told Rosie.

"I know but he is just like Hiccup, willing to do anything to win the day" she responded.

It didn't take long but Rommel and his men were ready for their attack. The Berkian guns continued to fire giving the dragon riders a smokescreen. The zippleback gas bombs and nightmare gel were prepared and strapped to the side of the bigger dragons.

Toothless looked up at Rommel and gave a concerning grunt.

"I'll be fine, just lead the way."

Astrid walked beside them and placed a hand on Toothless' head. She looked up at Rommel, fear laced all over her face.

"To hell and back my lady, I shall see you on the other side."

"You don't have to do this."

"I do, I promised I would end this, one way or another. For the honor and glory of Carolus Rex."

"For the honor and glory of…"

Astrid couldn't complete her sentence, the gravity of the situation wouldn't let her. Rosie walked up to Rommel and kissed him on the cheek.

"Come back in one piece my love."

"For you, anything."

Rommel looked to the sky and took a deep breath. He drew his sword and aimed it at the sky.

"Men of Berk, Dragons elite, to the skies my wolverines."

 _Man and Beast there is nothing between_

 _A flying circus and a man from Prussia_

The dragons took off one after the other, the sky quickly being blacked out by the riders. In front of the mass of dragons was Rommel wind blowing through his hair.

 _The sky and a dragon, this man commands his domain_

 _The western front all the way to Poland_

"Alright listen up, our targets are wooden fortifications and ships sitting in the Thames."

Below them, musket fire erupted from the rooftops of the buildings. Rommel winced in pain when the sound of lead hitting its target filled his ear.

"General, we are approaching some wooden walls!"

"Dive boys, dive!"

 _Death from above, you're under fire_

 _Stained black as night, he's roaming higher_

 _Born a soldier from the horseback to the sky_

 _That's where the legend will aris_ e

The men behind Rommel followed him as Toothless let out a massive plasma blast at the walls. Other dragons did the same doing as much damage as they could with their various types of fires. Toothless gave a warble of satisfaction as they pulled up from their attack.

"Good job, that'll give the infantry something less to worry about. Come on, let's go see if the Brits have any ships to hit."

Toothless acknowledge his request and started flying towards the river. But behind Rommel, more and more men were being shot down as they pulled up.

"General we are losing too many, we have to fallback!."

"No, we must make sure the infantry can win the day!"

 _And he's flying_

 _Higher, the king of the skies_

 _He's flying to fast and he's flying too high_

 _Higher, an eye for an eye_

 _The legend will never die!_

Toothless flew higher and began to make is dive bomb towards a ship docked in the harbor. Other dragons followed, each targeting a ship. A massive explosion rocked the Thames as the ship Toothless fired at broke apart.

"There we go, alright pull back to base."

"Sir, watch out, on the roof-"

The officer that was speaking was shot in the chest and fell to the ground below. The nightmare that he was riding tried to catch him but it too was shot down. Toothless flew as fast he could away from the burning ships and back to base. Unbeknownst to them, their movements were being tracked by some riflemen.

"Take the beast out, fire!"

The soldier fired and the bullet began to pierce the air.

"We should be good, let's get out of-, Woah buddy, Woah, what's the matter?"

Toothless shrieked in pain and began to fall out of the sky. Even though he was wounded he did his best to protect Rommel who had fallen out of the saddle. They hit a church steeple hard which caused the tower to fall with them. Once they hit the ground Rommel tried to get up but Toothless covered him to protect him from falling rubble.

From her vantage point, Queen Anne watched the church steeple fall on the dragon. She smiled once the stone hit the ground.

"The lead dragon has been taken out, have Nathaniel's men plug any gaps in our defense."

"Yes milady"

"Oh and Captian Grimmil…"

"Yes, milady?"

"Make sure that dragon is dead."

Grimmil nodded and left the Queen to her own thoughts.

"General Hofferson, Rommel's forces have been shot down, minimal damage was done to the enemy defenses."

Rosie nodded and looked towards Astrid who was stoic as ever. She noticed Astrid was gripping something in her hand, a medal from Hiccup's uniform.

"Astrid?"

Astrid didn't acknowledge her, she just kept staring out at London, gripping the medal even harder.

"Astrid?"

She snapped out of her trance and screamed. Everyone around them watched in confusion at the queen's outburst.

"At least 1,000 riders dead, wounded, or missing, and on top of that my best general, gone!"

"My lady, we can't do anything about it, we can only hope that he is still alive," Lewenhaupt said trying to defuse the situation.

"Astrid, he created a weakness in those fortifications, if we attack we can breakthrough."

Astrid nodded and walked over to her horse.

"What are you doing?"

"I won't let you go out there yourself."

"Astrid, you can't do that you might get hurt, the baby might get hurt."

"We lose today, the whole campaign, Hiccup's death, it all means nothing. A failure today means the lives of thousands meant nothing. I will lead my troops into battle if it is the last thing I do. Captain ready my troops."

"Yes, milady."

Rosie was about to protest until Astrid drew Gustav's sword and aimed it right at her chest.

"Don't defy me, don't prevent me from achieving this final victory, we win here the war is over."

Rosie jumped on top of her horse and rode up beside Astrid. 35,000 men lined up information, waiting for the command to march forward.

"Men of Berk, today we have the chance to end it all. Forward!"

 _Orders!_

"March!"

The drums of war began to beat and the troops began to march forward. The Scottish and Berkian guns fired off one more time before holding fire to let the infantry pass. On the British side of the field, the shells hit their mark killing many soldiers.

South of London, George's forces continued their unrelenting assault against the defenders. Cannonballs riped through lines of men trying to hold back the Dutch and German troops. It didn't take long for the British to retreat, giving George the win he needed to keep up the pressure.

"General Whilhelm" George called out.

"Yes, sir!?"

"We have the enemy on the run, we must keep up the pressure and our momentum. Hopefully, the Berkians are fairing much better then we are. Have your men split up into regiments and advance down the smaller streets."

"Understood."

"We must capture at least one bridge, don't let them hold anything."

The general rode off to lead his men leaving George and his bodyguards. They entered the city alongside the troops but quickly fell back as soldiers inside the houses began to fire down on them. One officer next to George got hit in his shoulder and fell off his horse. George fired his pistol missing a soldier in the window.

Inside the house, British and Dutch soldiers engaged in a brutal melee. Men abandoning their muskets in favor of their own two hands and unfixed bayonets. Some shot off shots trying to kill anyone at point-blank, turning a dining room into a mass grave.

George and his men gathered themselves at the edge of the street that had just moved down.

"Damn!" George yelled.

"Sir, we can't go into every household and make sure it's clear."

"I am well aware of that but the less house we clear out the more men we have a chance of losing."

Once George finished speaking a courier rode up to him bearing ill news.

"Sir, we managed to recover a shot down dragon rider. He told us that the British are dug in deep. The Berkian troops have not pushed yet when they had taken off."

"Bring him to me, I wish to speak with him" George growled.

"Sir, the man is wounded. I am afraid if we move him now, it could kill him," the soldier pleaded.

"Fine lead me to him."

The man nodded and led George and a few of his staff members through the corridors of streets. Leaning against a modestly sized home was the dragon rider in question. A massive bloodstain on his torso made it evident to George how badly the man was hurt.

"What were your orders soldier?"

"They… they…" the young man whispered.

"Speak up lad please."

"We were tasked with destroying any fortifications, ships, or wooden structure blocking your path… or our path."

"Who lead you?"

"General Rommel, in the panic of us getting shot down, I lost sight of him."

A medic rushed beside the rider and poured some water from his canteen into the rider's mouth.

"Thank you, soldier, rest easy."

George turned to his staff, weary of the situation.

"Gentleman we are at a crossroads. There is a slight chance of the Berkians beginning an attack, there is a slight chance they are holding still. We must take the risk and continue pushing. If we capture Parlament and the house of lords, we will have more bargaining power of the Berkians. Let's get moving."

* * *

"Fire!"

The British cannon fired at the incoming wave of Berkian and Scottish troops. The British highlanders were ready, tears in their eyes as they were about to go face to face with many brothers. The Scottish troops were no better as the two sides began playing their bagpipes in unison. Musket fire rang out and many went down.

"Keep… keep up the fire lads ke-... oh lord forgive me."

Bruce put down his sword and buried his head on the neck of his horse. The Highlanders fired another volley but their officer couldn't take in any more, he too buried his head down into their fortifications. Amongst the chaotic scene chants of Scotland forever pierced through.

Astrid watched as Bruce and his men fought their adversaries. She couldn't imagine fighting other Berkians. Her focus quickly returned to the fighting in front of her as British troops began to retreat.

"We have them on the run boys! Give them the cold steel!"

The Berkian troops charged forward and quickly overran the small number of British troops. To their left the Highlanders surrendered, laying their arms down to their brothers. Rosie watched as Astrid order the troops to stop, heat immediately went to her face and marched over to her sister.

"Why the hell are we stopping!?"

"We are letting the men rest before we push farther into the city. You weren't there in Paris, you don't know what it was like."

"Rommel is somewhere inside, wounded, we have to save him!"

"Rosie, as much as I want to go save him, we have to let the men rest."

"Dammit, Astrid let me take Rommel's men I can-" Rosie was cut off by an explosion behind her.

"Form ranks, the British are coming!"

Across the field and down a few roads, a wounded brigade of 3,847 led by General Osiwiec, a Russian native, marched towards the halted Berkians.

"Forward comrades, drive the enemy back home!" He yelled.

The Berkians fired a volley at their enemy, but very little damage was done.

 _Turmoil at the front_

 _Astrid's forces on the hunt_

 _There's a thunder in the west_

 _It's an attack of the deceased_

 _4,000 charge en masse_

 _Turn the tide of the attack_

 _And force the enemy to turn back_

Astrid drew her pistol and fired at the mass of men charging at them. The king's guard held back as the regiments in front of them engaged the charging mass, they were going to wait for the enemy on top of them. The melee began as soon as the British troops made it to the Berkians.

"Hold men, hold them of-"

An explosion rocked the ground beside Astrid causing her horse to panic and rear-up. She lost her grip on her reigns and fell off and hit the ground below. The screams of wounded men filled her ears, crying out for their loved ones in their final moments. Through her blurry vision, she saw a man walk up to her which made her try to grab her sword but the man placed his foot on her weapon.

"Violence isn't the answer, never has, never will," a familiar voice said.

The man bent down and helped Astrid to one knee.

"Don't give up yet, Berk needs you, our child needs you."

"Hiccup?" Astrid moaned.

"The one and only. Well, one of the three. Now you need to get up and fight."

Hiccup started to fade, turning to dust and going away with the wind.

"No… please don't go, I need you" Astrid begged.

Astrid stood up to grab the last bit of dest but it had slipped through her fingers. Astrid looked to her left and saw her men engaged in the brutal combat. She picked up the sword off the ground and charge forward alongside some of the caroleans. She thrusted her sword forward and stabbed a soldier but was knocked back when a bullet entered her shoulder. Astrid fell back to one knee, left hand covering the wound on her right shoulder. When she looked up Osowiec stood over her.

"Queen Astrid of Berk, it is a pleasure, it really is. It's a pleasure that it'll be I who kills you."

Osowiec drew his sword and advanced towards the sounded queen. Astrid tried to grab her sword with her right hand but the pain was too much. The only thing Astrid could do was close her eyes and waited for death to take her. After a second went by, she opened her eyes and saw Rosie's sword blocking Osowiec. Rosie shoved her opponent back and began to march over to him. Osowiec tried to stab her but Rosie sidestepped, kicked him in the gut and slashed her sword across his chest, winning the fight. With the fight over Rosie rushed to Astrid's side and helped her up.

"Thank you for saving me."

"I told you when we were 10, I was gonna be the one to get killed first not you."

"Welp hopefully that doesn't happen anytime soon."

"Agreed."

The two women walked up beside their troops to help them drive back the enemy, capturing anyone that surrendered.

"We have an opening now, charge forward!"

* * *

"Damn it!" Rommel hissed as he pushed a couple of bricks off of him. The bright blue coat he wore into battle had become grayed out with all the dust. It was the same dust chocking the air forcing Rommel to chough violently.

Rommel began to look for Toothless, bu the black mass was hard to see through all the dust. Eventually, he found him, Toothless laid beside the fallen building, the bullet wound facing the general.

"You'll be okay, I promised Hiccup that I would take care of you."

Toothless whined in pain as Rommel began to patch the wound with torn off pieces of his uniform. With the sun beginning to set over London, Rommel was worried they might get captured. Once the wound was patched, Rommel sat beside Toothless and began to clean his pistol.

"Dragons were nothing but fairy tales when I was a boy," Rommel said, trying to lighten the mood. "My father said that the dragons had all been killed, driven out by the many kings of Europe. Slaughtered because it was a noble thing to do so. Hiccup showed me the truth, you guys were misunderstood."

"Perhaps but I still need that beast's head," said a British officer, walking up to them.

Rommel got up and drew his sword, clutching his gut with his free hand.

"You are wounded my friend, step aside and let me finish this thing off, I promise you my queen will treat you well."

"Never, I serve Astrid, and Astrid only and I live by my fallen king's dragon."

"It's quite a shame, and here I thought a mighty Prussian warrior such as yourself would have killed the beast before me. Mr. Rommel, you were once a great leader on our side. Now you shall die by the sword of Grimmel the Ghastly."

Grimmel charged at Rommel who quickly blocked the furious swings of Grimmel. After each block, Rommel became more unbalanced as his wounds began to take their toll. Grimmil kicked Rommel in the gut which sent the man to his knees immediately. Rommel got back on his feet after blocking a few more strikes. The Prussian general sidestepped a strike and with all of his might, Rommel wounded Grimmil's side.

"Ahhh, damn you!" Grimmil shouted clutching his bleeding hip.

Rommel collapsed to one knee again, this time using his sword to keep him in place. He looked towards his gut and saw blood staining his white tunic. Rommel looked back at Grimmil who was still clutching his side.

"If I die here, so be it. I die knowing that my sacrifice wasn't in vain" Rommel said, alluding to his air raid.

"Don't be so sure, our troops will drive your forces out of England."

Rommel stood back up and aimed his sword towards Grimmil. The two men locked blades once again but this time the balance of powers was even due to their wounds. Rommel pushed Grimmil back to a wall and tried to slash his chest but Grimmil blocked the attack. Grimmil gave Rommel a headbutt causing Rommel to stumble back. Blood began to drip from his nose, Rommel wiped it away and focused on the man in front of him.

The swords clashed again, sparks flying as the two men desperately tried to kill each other. Rommel managed to trip Grimmil but when Rommel tried to capitalize, Grimmil managed to wound Rommel's leg. Grimmil back on his feet and brought his sword down on Rommel who barely blocked it. The man continued to strike at Rommel forcing Rommel to become more desperate with his blocks. After another shot at the sword of Rommel, Grimmil thrusted his weapon forward stabbing Rommel in the gut.

"Ahhh!" Rommel cried in pain.

Grimmil removed the sword and Rommel fell to the ground, clutching his torso. The man smiled watching his opponent squirm on the ground in pain.

"You don't deserve to die by my sword, alright lads tie him up."

From behind cover, five British soldiers stepped forward with rope and a piece of wood. They tied Rommel to the post and leaned him against the fallen church steeple. Toothless tried to get up to save Rommel but Grimmel knocked him out with one of his darts.

"I'll end you in just a second," he said, turning his attention to Rommel. "Blindfold or no?"

Rommel did nothing but spit blood at Grimmil.

"No blindfold then," Grimmil responded, wiping the blood from his face.

Grimmil walked over to the British soldiers and raised his sword in the air.

"Gentlemen, today we witness the death of a traitor, Aaron Rommel of Prussia. I wish you wouldn't have joined the enemy, you had such a promising career. Ready! Aim!"

The soldiers aimed their guns at Rommel, the only thing he could do was sigh and get ready for death's cold embrace.

"Fire!"

Gunshots went off but none hit Rommel, instead, the men that were about to fire at Rommel fell down. Behind them was Astrid, Rosie, and a few of Rommel's troops, aiming their weapons.

"Your execution is over," Astrid said.

Rosie aimed her pistol at Grimmil and fired. Grimmil managed to dodge the shot but wasn't able to dodge Astrid's. Grimmil fell down, the large hole in the chest bleeding rapidly. Rosie rushed over to Rommel and untied him from his spot. She caught him once he was free and laid him carefully on the ground. Astrid and Rommel's men rushed over to them crowding around the man.

"Aaron" Rosie cried clutching him as tears fell.

Rommel lifted a hand and placed it on her cheek, wiping her tears away. Rosie frantically grabbed her water canteen and poured water into Rommel's mouth. The man spit the first bit of water out of his mouth, riding him of some of the blood that had began to pool in his mouth. Rosie poured more water, this time Rommel gladly accepted the cool liquid. Behind the small gathering, medics rushed up to them and began to check Rommel. Rosie reluctantly let him go and let the medics do their work.

"We have to end this now, everyone its time to fight the queen," Astrid said turning attention towards Buckingham Palace.

A storm began to form and rain began to wash away the blood-stained streets. Every house in the city was at risk of being turned into a bloodbath. Many British soldiers began to surrender but there were many still loyal to the crown. Any remaining ships sitting in the Thames were sunk by the Wolfpack or dragons. The city and fallen but the crown still fought on.

700 Berkian soldiers and 200 Dutch stood outside the palace as Dragons tried to burn down the doors. Eventually, a white flag came out of one of the windows, ending the fighting. The British soldiers laid down their guns and the queen surrendered.

 _Treaty of London 1692_

 _The Kingdom of Berk is to be recognized as an independent state._

 _The Kingdom of Scotland is to be recognized as an independent state._

 _England will pay 700 Million Pounds in reparations to Scotland and Berk._

 _The Thirteen Colonies are to be handed over to Berk_

 _Queen Anne is to abdicate and give the crown to George of Holland._

 _England may not have a standing army numbering more than 100,000 troops._

 _England may not have a navy larger than 25 ships._

 _If any clause is broken Berk will invade to enforce the treaty._

 _Signatures:_

 _Queen Astrid of Berk_

 _King Bruce of Scotland_

 _King George of England_

 _Former Queen Anne of England_

With the treaty signed the war came to a close. 1.5 million men and women lost their lives fighting for the side they believed in. The fighting in America would come to an end as well after Boston was captured.

 _2 weeks later…_

Astrid, Rosie, Lewenhaupt, Bruce, and George stood at the docks watching as Berkian troops boarded their ships.

"Again lady Astrid for helping me claim the throne," George said.

"I have no idea what this lad said but thank you for helping Scotland get its independence, the both of ye," Bruce said, referencing the difference in languages.

"You are both welcome, please let us work together and keep the peace in Europe."

Both of them nodded their heads before watching the Berkains board the ships.

Once out at Sea, the two sisters stood at the bow of the ship watching the endless ocean in front of them.

"So how is Aaron?" Astrid asked.

"He is doing better, the wounds are healing up well. He's walking again."

"That's good and speaking of Aaron."

The two of them watched as Lewenhaupt and Rommel walked up to them, Rommel with a slight limp. In their hands were two bottles of champian and four glasses.

"Gentleman, we have done well."

"Agreed" Rommel replied as he opened up one of the bottles. Lewenhaupt gave both Rosie and Astrid a glass, then Rommel poured everyone a drink.

"To victory," Rommel shouted, raising his glass in the air.

"To victory," the three of them responded.

* * *

A week later and the Berkians were home once again. The army was disbanded, officers relieved of duty, and families reunited. Then the time came to disband the high command, something Astrid didn't want to do.

Rommel approached the desk and gave Astrid his papers.

"I can't believe that we were once enemies," Astrid said.

"Yes that seems so long ago, too much has happened since then," Rommel replied.

"What will you do now that the war is over?"

"I was thinking about staying here in Berk, settling down with someone."

"Well, I hope whatever you end up doing goes well and-"

"My lady with permission, I would like to ask your sister in her hand in marriage."

"You have my blessing Aaron."

Rommel smiled and bowed his head.

"Here is your last week of pay, 200 silver pieces, and 3 gold coins."

"Thank you, but I don't think leaving the army is the path I want to go down. With your permission, I would like to extend my service for another year."

"Rommel, you'll have a militia and a small standing army to lead."

"It's better than nothing."

"He can take my spot," Lewenhaupt said walking up behind Rommel. "My time in the army is done. I've made my dues and I have served for the majority of my life, its time for me to retire."

Lewenhaupt handed Astrid his papers and stood next to Rommel.

"I've been in the army since I was 16, it's time for me to settle down with my family. I'll build a home here on Berk."

"Well then, Berk thanks you for your service Lewenhaupt. Here is your final pay."

Astrid handed him the bag of coins and Lewenhaupt bowed his head. He turned to Rommel and shook his hand before leaving the room.

"Good man he is," Rommel said.

"That he is, so one more year?"

"One more year."

"Well Aaron, I give you full command of the standing Berkian army."

Rommel smiled and shook Astrid's hand. Rommel turned to leave and bid his farewell. Once he stepped outside, Rommel watched as people did their daily tasks.

"They are a busy people," Rommel told himself.

He began to walk again but stopped when he reached the statue of Hiccup. Rommel placed a hand on the foot of the statue and bowed his head.

"We did my lord, the war is over, we won."

Rommel looked up the face of the statue, expecting a response but he got nothing. He sighed and looked at the base of the statue. Rommel walked over to the black dragon and patted him on his head.

"I'm sure he misses you too big guy."

Toothless growled in agreement and laid his head back down to return to his slumber. Rommel laughed before he continued talking.

"Man and dragon living side by side because of one man. It's hard to believe that all of this was the result of the rise of a king."

 _The End_

 **What a story, I'm gonna miss writing this one. Again thanks to everyone who has spent a couple of minutes of their time to read this thing, it means a lot to me. So now a list of every song that I used.**

 **Carolus Rex**

 **Gott Mit Uns**

 **Attero Domanatus**

 **40:1**

 **Carolean's Payer**

 **Poltava**

 **Killing Ground**

 **Lifetime of War**

 **Art of War**

 **To Hell and Back**

 **Hearts of Iron**

 **Coat of Arms**

 **Long Live the King**

 **1648**

 **Bismark**

 **Fields of Verdun**

 **Winged Hussars**

 **In the Army Now**

 **Red Baron**

 **Attack of the Dead Men**

 **I am probably forgetting a few but that's all I can remember and I am too lazy to look through the entire story. There will be one more chapter. - Dilloncoll**


	41. Epilouge

_Dear future King or Queen of Berk or to whoever reads this,_

 _My Name is Astrid Haddock, the first queen of Berk. I think its best to start a tradition on my deathbed rather than earlier in life. I am the ripe old age of 78 when writing this, I've seen my child grow and have children of his own. I've seen some land lost and more land gained. When I leave this earth and go to Valhalla, Heaven, or wherever I go, I will know the Berk will last for hundreds of years. It is my idea that kings and queens of Berk write these letters as a way to reflect on their life._

 _I remember Hiccup the First fondly. A friend that I lost way too soon, a man who I loved but lost in our prime. He was the greatest friend anybody could have. He knew right from wrong and he knew how to respond to any situation, a tactical genius with his idea written down in books that I gave our son. History will remember him as a great king, and a great man._

 _As for our son, I love him with all my heart the sweetest boy that anyone could ever know. I remember his coronation day, it was a day after I abdicated when he had just turned 20, old enough to rule the land. I advised him with his military strategies but he learned everything from his father's journals._

 _Years passed and relationships soured. When I turned 25 in 1699, Russia and Berk fought over Finland, a war that lasted 10 years. Berk came out on top beating Russia, Denmark-Norway, and Poland (Who had betrayed our alliance.) The land was taken from Denmark and Russia, Poland was punished. Austria and Berk split Poland into two, Poland lost 33% of its land. By 1720 Poland didn't exist, split between Austria, Russia, and Berk. It was a quiet end for an empire that has lasted since the year 1000._

 _Berk's influence continued to spread as we allowed our colonies to expand farther west. Did Spain get mad at us yes, but we quickly shut them up with our superior troops. Speaking of which, Rommel was hard at work expanding the army and increasing its effectiveness. What a man he was, Rommel passed away in 1736 from his wounds he gained while we were unifying Scandinavia under one banner. Rosie was devastated, leaving behind her and three children. Rosie too lost her life in battle not a year later._

 _In 1747 my health began to deteriorate rapidly, my son and his children concerned about my well being. I know my time is coming, I lived a happy life, queen, for 20 years, then a servant of the people. I just wish I had Hiccup beside it all._

 _-Astrid, Queen of Berk_

Hiccup the Second sat next to his dying mother, his children next to him. In her final hours, Astrid grew frailer and frailer.

"Hiccup" Astrid whispered.

"Yes, mother?"

"Help me up."

"Mother you heard the doctors, you need to lay down."

"No, I am not weak."

Astrid began to sit herself up but Hiccup quickly tried t stop her.

"Hiccup, help me up, please."

"Fine."

Astrid stood up on her feet, leaning heavily on Hiccup. Her 58-year-old son looked like his father, the only difference being the streaks of gray running through his auburn hair.

"Every time I look at you, you remind me of your father."

"Yes, you say that every time we spend time together. Why do want to walk?"

"I want one last look at Berk before I go."

Hiccup looked back at his wife and children, his eyes telling them to stay put. Mother and Son walked towards the balcony of the once great hall. Once they got there they noticed a setting sun casting long shadows on every building the sunlight touched.

"Ironic" Astrid said, "the sun is beginning to set on my time here. God is truly messing with me with this beautiful scene in front of us. Gourgous isn't it."

"It is, mother, you and father did a good job."

"Yes, but how many lives did we sacrifice to achieve this dream. I've done some things that I regret doing, killing many that shouldn't, wounding those that dare oppose."

"We all have done things that we regret, Remember the battle of Warsaw?"

"Yes I remember, they were surrendering I saw the white flag."

"I know but I didn't see the flag until it was too late."

"Your son will be a great leader, you saw him lead his men into battle in Copenhagen.

"Yes, he fought well alongside Uncle Aaron. It was a shame we couldn't save him, perhaps he could have saved Aunt Rosie."

"Hiccup it's my time to go, I feel it."

"Let's get you to bed then…"

"No, I will not go sitting down. I will... "

Astrid began to lose her balance and collapsed into her son's arms.

"Mother!"

Astrid smiled at her son and placed a hand on his cheek. Tears began to drop on her face as Hiccup clung onto her. Astrid whipped away the tears in his eyes before breathing her last.

Bells began to toll the next morning as a funeral procession marched their way to the royal cemetery. The first queen was dead, the last of an era dead.

The Royal family stood in front of the grave Hiccup kneeling with the aid of his sword. His tears falling was mixed with the pouring rain that surrounded them all.

"Rest easy mother, you are with father now."

In the harbor, Berkian flagship _Carolus_ fired off 12 cannons as a salute to the queen. As a Royal decree from Hiccup, a black cloth was to be placed over any painting of Astrid. Time marched on Berk's overseas territory learned of Astrid's death, each grieving in their own way.

 _London, 3 months later…_

Europe's Monarchs met for the first time in years inside Buckingham palace. The kings and queens sat and enjoyed their meal while they talked many throwing insults at others.

"I remember during the War of Spanish Succession, your mother Hiccup, God rest her soul, drank so much alcohol while we were camped outside of Madrid. You would think she would pass out after her ninth cup of ale but no she kept going" Said George the Second.

"My Mother was a Viking George, even when she was on her death bed she could have out drink us all."

The men listing in on the conversation laughed as Hiccup continued.

"My mother said when the Berkian army sieged down Berlin, my father, who according to her, drank so much he drunkenly called an artillery strike on the poor city."

"Aye, my Father, Aaron Rommel was there. I remember him telling me to never get your army besieged, it's not fun."

"Lukas your father was a good man but holy hell was that charge a bad idea."

"It wasn't my father's idea, the King of Prussia order him to commit that charge."

"So what is your relationship between the two of you?" asked Cathrine of Russia.

"I'm his majesties, royal advisor and cousin."

"He is also a ladies man, be sure to tell that to his wife."

"Shut up bastard."

Hiccup laughed and sipped his drink while Lukas tried to defend his actions.

"So Hiccup" started Emperor Franz of Austria, "how did your father come to power?"

"Well our story begins a long time ago. My father and just recovered from his injuries after fighting a massive beast know as the Red Death. That is where we begin the story of the Rise of a King."

 _The End_


End file.
